100 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



It has been said that chemical manures affect the flavour of potatoes 

 injuriously, and this may be so if the land becomes acid through the 

 repeated applications of "super"; the slight addition of steamed bone 

 flour corrects any such acidity. 



A dressing of lime for over-manured land is a common practice, but 

 the dusting of lime over stored seed potatoes is not. It is inexpensive, 

 easily applied, and a safeguard against the spread of disease. 



The troubles of potato-growers are many, for although the too familiar 

 Phytophthora has not left us, "curl " and " black scab " have come. It 

 will be sufficient to say of the old disease that except in very wet years, 

 such as 1903, the now well-known " Bordeaux mixture " answers its 

 purpose. 



I have already spoken of "curl" (Macrosporium solani). This has 

 worked terrible havoc in recent years. The remedy is cultural. Change 

 of seed is the most important step. Bordeaux mixture, applied in the 

 early stages of growth, is recommended, and may have answered in some 

 cases, but it has certainly failed in others. 



" Black Scab " (CEdomyces Uproidcs) is a hideous malady. The attack 

 is sometimes developed at an early stage of growth, beginning at the eyes 

 and covering the tuber gradually with dark and evil-looking contortions. 

 In other instances the potatoes attain to full ware size, and are then 

 attacked at the eyes. Dusting with flowers of sulphur is the best remedy, 

 and is also recommended for " Winter Rot " (Nectria solani). In all 

 cases of fungoid diseases the burning of affected examples is advised. 



The fact that potatoes are assailed by so many formidable enemies, 

 and are in addition indubitably subject to a natural process of degenera- 

 tion, lends importance to the production of new varieties. In this 

 connection grave abuses exist. Old sorts are put on the market under 

 new names in the most unblushing way, and until the establishment of 

 the Synonyms Committee of the National Potato Society no organised 

 expert effort had been made to check these malpractices, which are 

 so injurious to the trade. 



There is a wide field open for potato improvement. Varieties last 

 only a few years, and need replacing by more virile sorts. These in their 

 early days are frequently open to criticism on account of the production 

 of superabundant root- fibres, supertuberation, and want of flavour. Ex- 

 perience with ' Up-to-Date ' has taught me that if a potato is productive, 

 shapely, and vigorous, it must not be too hastily condemned. That 

 sterling sort was greatly addicted to second growth, and was of moderate 

 quality, when it was first put on the market. It was a coarse field 

 variety, and nothing more. But it mellowed down into a valuable garden 

 sort, " supertubering " but slightly, and cooking well. For this reason 

 I am disposed to suspend judgment over 1 Northern Star,' in spite of its 

 present defects. 



Potato-raisers must not be afraid of vigour. " Deep-eyed " varieties 

 must, of course, be eschewed, but a good deal of fibre at the root, and a 

 modicum of second growth, are not necessarily fatal. Vigour is absolutely 

 essential, and it has to be remembered that, with the natural loss that 

 ensues, a potato which has not too much at first soon has tco little. 



While I have found the raising of potatoes from seed out of the 



