Jan.] 



THE FORCING GARDEN. 



627 



where it grew, and covered with litter to exclude the frost : in 

 this case it is dug up fresh as wanted for the table. During 

 winter and spring it is sent to table, and when washed the 

 outer skin readily separates from a finer and close glossy inner 

 skin, which must be carefully preserved in undergoing the 

 necessary culinary operations of dressing. They should never 

 be peeled, nor scraped with a knife, but only this outer skin 

 removed by the finger and thumb while washing, or with an 

 half-worn soft brush. Few can discover the deception, and 

 often, when young potatoes from the hot-beds, and those de- 

 scribed have been placed upon the table, the difference was 

 not recognized until tasted, and the preference has been uni- 

 formly given to the Dutch sort. 



It is particularly necessary to state, that this potato should 

 be grown in a soil of a light sandy nature, resembling the na- 

 tural soil of Holland as near as possible. In stiff strong clayey 

 soils it does not succeed, neither in the quantity of crop nor 

 quality of the roots. It is also a difficult matter to procure 

 this potato genuine from Holland, the Dutch being not over 

 particular in executing their orders with nicety, so far as re- 

 gards sending the genuine article wanted. The cultivators of 

 bulbs are not unacquainted with this fact. The most certain 

 way is to employ some person resident there to purchase them 

 on the spot, and export them to this country. Indeed, when 

 a correspondent is residing in Holland, it is much the best 

 way to have a few bushels imported annually for use. The 

 seed tubers should be imported, if not annually, at least every 

 second year, as they naturally degenerate when cultivated 

 here for more than two years. The quality of the potato is so 

 extremely delicate, that it soon becomes unfit for this impor- 

 tant purpose, when grown in a cold, wet, or strong soil. 



The late Dr. Noehden, in a communication to the Horticul- 

 tural Society, gives the following method of preserving pota- 

 toes for winter use, as a substitute for young ones. Not that 

 it is to be preferred to the use of the Dutch potato described 

 above, but is deserving of being made known, as it may lead 

 to some experiments upon this important subject. " By young 

 potatoes," he says, are generally understood those tubers 

 which have not attained their full age an.l ; rowlli. (n this 



