WILL TUBERS GROW AFTER THE DESTRUCTION OF LEAVES ? 105 



feeders ; the soil can scarcely be too rich for them, and they are 

 benefited by the application of liquid manure. 



The intelligent gardener will always adapt means to obtain a 

 desired end. In the culture of those plants in which the fruit is 

 useful, he will appreciate the value of salutary checks to excessive 

 vigour. He will see the value of transplanting early peas, as a 

 means of inducing early and great productiveness ; with a know- 

 ledge of first principles he will unite the habit of close observation, 

 by which means only the greatest excellence is attainable in the 

 culture of fruit or vegetables. 



XIII. — Will Tubers Grow after the Destruction of the Leaves 

 of a Plana By John Lindley, Ph.D., F.R.S. 



In the summer of 1849 the Belgian Government communicated 

 to H. M. Minister at the Court of Brussels a statement by M. 

 Tombelle Lomba, of Namur, that he had saved his crop of 

 Potatoes from disease every year by cutting off the stems after 

 flowering, and whilst yet fresh and green, and then covering the 

 ground with earth to the depth of about 1^-inch ; the top dressing 

 thus applied not being disturbed till the potatoes were ripe. 



Lord Howard de Walden having caused further inquiries to be 

 addressed to M. Lomba, an extract from his reply was given in 

 the ' Gardener's Chronicle,' July 7, 1849, in the following 

 words : — " I can state in the most formal manner, that when the 

 potato stems are cut off with a sickle properly sharpened, the 

 tubers are not at all interrupted in their growth ; that they 

 remain attached to the stem until they are ripe, just as if the 

 haulm had not been removed ; and that they acquire as large a 

 relative size as potatoes which have not undergone the operation. 

 I have so often observed this continuation of growth, that I can 

 speak positively to its going on without the slightest interruption, 

 and that the treatment which I have recommended is not attended 

 by any loss whatever of size or quality. It is only necessary to 

 take great care that the instrument employed in cutting off the 

 haulm shall be so sharp that the stems may be separated without 

 disturbing the roots. It is also proper that the stems should be 

 removed from the ground immediately after being cut off ; and 

 especially that no time should be lost in covering the surface of 

 the ground with a layer of earth at least half an inch thick." 



With a view to testing the constancy of this fact Mr. Thompson 

 was directed to repeat M. Lomba's experiment ; and he reports as 

 follows : — In the beginning of July, 5 rows of Jersey Blues were 

 cut close by the ground when in flower, with a sharp knife ; and 



VOL. v. i 



