ESCULENT -BOOTED PLANTS. — THE POTATO. 



219 



than the surrounding soil, in long narrow 

 ridges 3 feet on the base and 2 feet in the 

 perpendicular, the sorts to be kept separate 

 with earthen partitions as stated above. 

 It is better to pile the whole stock in one 

 or two long ridges than to have a dozen of 

 small conical ones scattered about, and 

 from which the frost and heat are seldom 

 properly excluded. We prefer the floor 

 of the pit to be level with the surface, to 

 prevent the chance of damp • and also 

 having the whole stock in one place for 

 convenience of covering, turning over if 

 need be, and for taking out as required. 

 If the tubers are stored when very wet, 

 and fears arise on this head, a row of 

 drain-tiles may be laid along the floor 

 under the potatoes open at both ends, 

 but secured against the intrusion of mice 

 or rats by placing a fine wire covering- 

 over their orifices. A tile- pipe or two may 

 be placed with a like precaution, communi- 

 cating with them, and passing like a small 

 chimney through the top of the pit. 

 During winter, these may be all left open 

 for the circulation of air ; but by the be- 

 ginning of February they should be com- 

 pletely stopped up, to prevent the en- 

 trance of heated air from without : at that 

 time all danger from fermentation will 

 have ceased. Where turf can be got 

 conveniently, a course of it, with the green 

 side uppermost, may be laid over the tubers, 

 but no littering matter whatever ; and if 

 turf cannot be conveniently got, lay the 

 soil on at once. The object of covering 

 is twofold— first, to exclude frost and wet; 

 and secondly, to exclude heat: now earth, 

 although no bad non-conductor of heat or 

 cold, is not sufficient of itself to answer 

 our purpose; therefore, after 9 or 1 0 inches 

 of soil are laid on, thatch the whole over 

 1^ feet in thickness with straw, fern, 

 heath, or any similar non-conducting 

 material. This is more particularly ne- 

 cessary with those that are to be kept till 

 a late period in the spring, to last till new 

 potatoes come in, which cannot be kept 

 at too low a temperature. With the 

 general stock, all that is required is to 

 exclude wet and frost, therefore the 

 thatching need not be so thick. In stor- 

 ing late potatoes for spring, use the prin- 

 ciple of the ice-stack (figs. 720, 721) ; and 

 what has been said regarding the keeping 

 of ice (vol. i., Section Ice-house) should 

 be strictly kept in view. 



Approved sorts and their qualities. — Potatoes 

 are divided by cultivators into early and late 

 sorts. The names, we should observe, are very 

 arbitrary, most localities having their favourite 

 sorts, and consequently their own names. An 

 extended list would, therefore, be of little gene- 

 ral utility, more especially in the present un- 

 healthy state of the plant. We will, therefore, 

 confine ourselves to the best of the early and 

 second early varieties (which for the most part 

 constitute the garden sorts), the names of which 

 are more permanent. 



Ash-leaved kidney. — One of the most popular 

 sorts for forcing, and also for the earliest crop 

 in the open borders. It fetches a better price 

 in the market than any other, is exceedingly 

 thin-skinned, of good form, and with few eyes. 

 Should be planted whole, with the end contain- 

 ing the eyes uppermost ; or, if cut, the incision 

 should be made lengthways through the centre. 



Jackson's improved ash-leaved kidney. — A se- 

 lected variety from the last, of larger size, 

 greater hardiness, and a more productive bearer. 

 Not quite so early as the last, and, being better 

 set with eyes, is much less liable to remain in the 

 ground without springing : an excellent sort. 



British queen. — A round potato of dwarf and 

 prolific habit ; one of the earliest. 



Soden's early Oxford. — Around potato of recent 

 origin ; very early, and well adapted for forcing. 



Fox's seedling. — A popular early potato about 

 London, either for forcing, or for earliest crops 

 in the open air. There appears little difference 

 between this variety and that of early Manley 

 and early Cockney. Tubers round, white, rather 

 waxy. 



Early frame and early ten-weeks are very simi- 

 lar. Indeed, any of the last five sorts may be 

 grown with advantage, particularly for forcing, 

 and the earliest border crops. 



Jackson's golden drop. — Very dwarf in haulm, 

 of good quality, and well adapted for forcing. 

 Skin tender, and a productive cropper. 



Rufford kidney. — A long-famed Lancashire 

 variety, not in very general cultivation elsewhere. 

 It is a very early variety, mealy, well-flavoured, 

 and stands the frost better than any other early 

 sort. It is also known as the lady's finger. 



The most comprehensive as well as the best 

 descriptive lists of potatoes, are those published 

 by Messrs Peter Lawson and Son, the eminent 

 nurserymen and seedsmen, Edinburgh, first in: 

 their "Agriculturist's Manual" some years ago, 

 and more recently in their " Vegetable Products 

 of Scotland," a work of much research and great 

 accuracy, invaluable both to the gardener and 

 farmer. These lists are rendered valuable, as 

 they comprise all the known varieties, with clear 

 descriptions " as to the habit of growth, nature 

 and colour of foliage and flower ; the shape and 

 colour of the tubers, and peculiarities of the 

 skin; with general remarks as to their use and 

 comparative value for the table," — forming a 

 very safe guide, from which the cultivator may 

 select suitable varieties, and reject such as may 

 appear unadapted to his soil, or which, for other 

 reasons, may seem unworthy of culture. 



From the last Of these works we have made 

 the following selection, omitting, however, all 



