170 



THE 



GARDENERS' MAGAZINE 



Vegetables for Exhie 



MAINCROP POTATOS. 



Man 



kinds of soil will produce first-rate potatos, but without a 

 doubt a good light mellow loam is the most suitable. For quality poultry, 

 and flavour, a chalky kind of land is well adapted and perhaps the 

 very worst for theii culture is a stiff heavy clay. In wet, sunless seasons, 

 the tubers produced in strong clay soils are almost worthless for eating, 



■ ' — — Good potatos can now be 



as 



well as being very liable to disease, 

 purchased at very reasonable prices, so that it is much better to buy 



seed and use the ground, when unsuitable, for other crops. Change of 

 seed and the selection of suitable varieties must always occupy the mind 

 of the grower. There are now so many good varieties in the market, and 

 it is worth remarking that they differ materially in their adaptation to 

 various districts. Thus the cultivator must endeavour to ascertain 

 which are best for the locality in which he resides. The land 

 should be deeply broken up during the winter and potatos ought not 

 to be grown on the same piece of ground two seasons in succession, a 

 most important point in potato culture. In preparing the ground one 

 must take into consideration the nature of the soil, which should never 

 be made too rich. If there is a good depth of soil and it has been 

 manured the previous season for other crops, no manure is necessary. 

 The same applies to fresh broken-up rich pasture land, but on poor 

 shallow soil, whether it be chalk, gravel, or sand, a thorough good dressing 

 of fresh stable manure should be given when preparing the ground. 



We are so much at the mercy of the weather during spring that no 

 hard and fast rule can be laid down, and the nature of the ground 

 one has to contend with must always be taken into consideration. 

 Plant, however, when possible, from the middle of March to rtie middle of 

 April, but in any case endeavour to plant when the land can be left in a 



anc j wor k a ble condition. The sets for planting should be of 



100 soon, anu uiey wm uc a<ue till the tim* nf ^1 . ,ll| cnced to t* 



conside red K" & Action, 



should be picked up and used, for thev maV. n M for *ei \ 

 poultry. The ground should then be cleat ed "nf n"' food pit 

 tubers, which should be burned, and the erounH I I « ! , . rubb «h and 

 state. 6 Q lett »n a neat and 



Only a favoured few who are fortunate enough t \ 

 soil can hope to obtain such splendid specimens asare oft*" p 



light r w 



medium size, leaving only from two to three sprouts on each, but when from 

 any cause large ones have to be used, they may be cut leaving two sprouts 

 on each. When cutting tubers for planting it is a good plan to dip the 

 cut parts in slaked lime, allowing them to dry before planting. The sets 

 should be laid out thinly in a light place just secure against frost during 

 winter, thus conserving as much strength as possible. When laid thickly 

 in heaps the shoots become so long and spindley that they have to be 

 rubbed off, and much of the food reserve is wasted. The distance which 

 the rows and tubers should be apart must be determined by the 

 sorts one is about to plant, as the haulm of some varieties requires double 

 the space than that of the others, and much of the failure in potato 

 culture is due to overcrowding. From two to three feet is a fair average 

 distance to allow between the rows and from eighteen to twenty inches 

 is desirable between the sets. 



Met ween the time the young tops peep above the surface and the time 



for moulding up the soil should be flat-hoed twice, and as soon as high 

 enouKh no time should be lost in earthing them up. Except to pull out 

 any weeds that may make their appearance the crop may be left till ready 

 for lifting, which should be done without delay in fine weather as soon as 

 the dons are set Many potatos, I am certain, become spoilt by beintr 

 left in the k round longer than is necessary. 



Choose fine weather for this operation, and first cut off the tops with 

 a hedging hook, and burn them. Carefully lift the crop with the potato 

 forks and search the ground thoroughly so that but few, if any, tubers 

 are left, as tubers that are left cause a good deal of trouble in the follow- 

 ing year. The tubers should all be laid out to dry on the surface of the 

 ground, putting three rows together, and the roots and rubbish should 

 also be put together in rows, so that they may be easily removed and 

 burned as soon as the crop is cleared off. Only lift * * 



roots as can be stored under cover. 



each day as many 



r l u- • » . . When one has to depend on samples 



for exhibition from the main plantation (and in some soils good, clear 



well-shaped tubers can be grown) the very best should be selected as thev 

 are turned out and immediately placed in baskets or boxes, which should 

 be kept covered with an old sack, or even paper, to exclude the light and 

 air, and the same day they should be placed in boxes one layer deep onlv 

 and covered up with some finely-sifted, moderately dry soil, and placed 

 away in the dark in a safe place till wanted. 



In storing the crop, commence by taking up all the largest and best 

 tubers suitable for cooking, and place'them under straw covering T good 

 th^i Sh2 the y, m , a y be !<* for about three weeks. Subsequently 

 «!2L tif^JSSf^IS^S^ 9 ? f ?. r a °y d 'seased tubers (a very suitable 



rny 



work for wet days), and then finally stored away till wanted. In 



better 



layer of dry straw. 



shaped 



requirements, and keeping them in some easily accessible place. Select 



to be madeTolhT'' P*? raise th ^ ground on which L clamp ha 

 to be made, so that no water may reach it, and over this place a 



On this layer put the potatos, building them ud 



them snrf • » g . coat, ng of straw should then be packed over 



rising through and above the soil 2 " ~ aW 



over-heating and keeD th<* rmn 



some litter s hn«M AI ? severe weather 



thrown over the ridge, the quantity beimr deter- 



weather. A • 



the 



apex 

 In 



This will prevent 



the severity of the 



mined by 

 frost. 



The sets, or " seed " for 

 They should be taken in and 



A little cover keeps out much 



shaped, clear potatos by ordinary cultivation Henre<T"~ w °^tw4 

 ment must be given to them. I have made numerous TvL^ 

 was much puzzled for many years before I could I expcnm *ts l a| 

 results. I tried the best varieties, different times and modes SttS* 

 and many kinds of mixtures in the wav of comnJ, u \ 



them. 



pcta 



planting should next be attended to 

 green tney are all the better for ti? ° Ut th,nly ' f nd if allowed *> become 



against frost, is the 7mZ T s^lZ»°Z ^ ^ P r °<* 

 room can be had I advise lSetW ,t entering them, and when 

 layers, using the utmost c^?^ d^MbS ^ 



generally was disappointing. 



way 



possible, to continue until I satisfied myself and I cin ermine< 

 done so. I consider the principal points are' an open sun™ ay 1 h 



ed niere of prnnnrl Aorl» «i»-»: i. . unn j 



determine,! 



f 



mm 



between the rows, and tubers, and the miyrn'rA ik- i - nt 

 The ground should be thoroughly tK^^l 

 bottom of each trench a coating of about four inches of lon^Sfci* 

 should be given, leaving the surface "rough and uneven 

 the frosts and winds to thoroughly pulverise the soil. ' 



thus 



the planting should be done. 



Early in M«J 



manure, that from an old mushroom "bed li p^^^SSlS 

 ha f good leaf-mould This should all be passed through a s et 3 

 half-inch mesh, and thoroughly mixed. A good trench should be t£ 

 out with the spade at least a foot in depth, and in this should t*2 

 about six inches of the mixture. Assuming the sets have been rk 

 perly prepared as previously advised, these should be carefully laidm 

 the soil at a distance of two feet apart. Fill up the trench 'with J 



same kind of mixture, and over this draw a little of the finest of the id 

 taken from the trench. Neatly rake over and make a mark oWnS 



The distance between the rows should be three feet six inches 

 u wm oe found far better to thoroughly cultivate a few rows thaate 

 only half p-epare a large number, as it will be found that a very lam 

 percentage will turn out fit for the exhibition stage. If horse nan 



•4 



necoML 



centre. 



cannot be readily obtained pure leaf soil will answer almost 



■ mm 



waste 



d- " * «* 1 » J / | O - - - — - — • - ••^N.. 



< earth up as soon as ready. When the haulm has grown a modn 

 height and is likely to fall down it should be kept in an upright pontiff 

 by driving in a few stakes each side of the row and stretching two « 

 three stout lines of string along. This is a very neat and efficient ir^ii 

 of keeping them in position, and I consider it of the utmost importaaa 

 As soon as the growth is completed and it is safe to lift the crop, c* of 

 the tops and lift without delay, carefully storing as before advised 



In my opinion potatos are generally exhibited much too large,! 

 long as exhibitors have to cater for judges who favour large tuber* » 

 long will large specimens continue to be staged. I consider a potm 

 should be of medium size, shallow eyed, free from scab or cracks, arid th 

 skin quite clear but not necessarily smooth, as a roughness in the sb 

 generally denotes good cooking qualities. They should be - 

 thoroughly clean on the afternoon before the show in soap and mm 

 with a piece of soft sponge, and as soon as dry wrapped in clean vt 

 white or brown paper. Care should be taken not to expose them toil 

 air more than is necessary or much of the fresh appearance will be tat 

 Six or nine is the number generally shown, and they should be preserttf 

 as even in size as possible. There are now so many first-rate kinds ■ 

 existence that I shall not attempt to give a lengthened list of vaneM 

 as soils and localities have so much influence on particular kinds. *m 

 proves to be everything that can be desired in some parts of thecal*! 

 is absolutely worthless in others. However, I will mention a few fi* 

 types as a guidance. For a collection of vegetables I always &vo* j 

 white skinned variety, and I like the pebble shape. For early sbo* • 

 advise Sharpe's Victor or some good strain of Ashleaf, and for summer 

 later exhibitions such kinds as Snowdrop or Windsor Castle. Tb» 

 is a great favourite with me, and though not one of the largest it isj 

 handsome, and of the highest quality when cooked. This, I think, t m* 



fruit. Probably the most handsome potato ever raised is I ntcn *r£ 

 and it looks extremely well when shown, but for table use on nam 

 soils it is worthless. Satisfaction is a splendid exhibition P°«J^ 

 perhaps exhibited more than any other variety. It is "/JJ^ 

 quality from many soils, but it is often staged too large j^^Mw ( 

 Triumph are also well worth growing. Of white rounds bcnooimj-^ 

 fine in every way, but unfortunately very subject to disease. - ^ 

 the coloured kinds, both round and kidney shaped, are v*n »«t 

 and pleasing to look at, and must be cultivated when it i 



Of the eYhihifYM- c i _4.» ^^^r^af.'flnn hut as a 1 



ot the exhibitor to enter for potato competition, but as 

 quality will be found in the white-skinned kinds. 



i the inwflj 



.1* the 



House Gardens. Elstree. Herts. 



E. BFXKETT. 



which 



ritish Mosses is a man 



W., wishes to see cleared I -r- , 



joruain into one hundred and twelve vice- counties tor tne f 

 better understanding of the distribution of flowering plants 



pose of 



ce-counti^ 



«. ^wunana m. Holmes have promisea w kfl 

 species, so that with a little more help the work Mr. Horrell has i» 

 go forward. 



districts 

 ioubtfol * J 



