254 
THE AMATEUR’S KITCHEN GARDEN. 
mischief on those occasions when sharp frosts are apt to touch 
the tops of plants in warm houses, for if you lose your leaf 
growth you also lose your potatoes. Mats or shutters must 
be in readiness for emergencies, for as the day lengthens the 
cold strengthens, and it is not unusual for potatoes in the 
forcing pit to be seriously damaged by the formation of a coat 
of ice close over their heads on the glass of their domicile. 
By uncovering a plant now and then the progress of the 
tubers can be seen. As they attain towards a proper size 
for the table reduce the supply of water and increase the heat 
to 80 degs. by day and 70 degs. by night, and be not afraid 
if on sunny days the thermometer goes up to 90 degs. or 
even higher. The fear of heat on the part of the cultivator 
is the cause of the watery softness that commonly character- 
ises forced potatoes. To render them mealy and nice you 
must promote the absorption by them of solar light, for 
potatoes are made of sunshine. 
As regards the compost, it may be said that it should con- 
tain a little of everything good. It should be light, gritty, 
moderately rich, and decidedly calcareous. If a prescription 
be required the following will answer, — three parts turfy 
loam to one part each of rotten hotbed manure, old mortar 
broken small, and the charcoal and burnt earth from a garden 
smother. If such a prescription cannot be followed make 
such a mixture as would grow fuschias nicely, and add to it 
a considerable proportion of pounded oyster shells. If you 
have at command a mellow sandy loam that suits potatoes, 
use three parts of that to one part of old manure and half 
a part of small plaster or pounded oyster shells. 
In shifting to the fruiting pots special care must be taken 
to ensure perfect drainage, for any lodgment of water or pasti- 
ness of the soil will be fatal to success. 
Potatoes potted in the first week of January should be 
quite ripe by the middle of April, and by carefully removing 
the largest without disturbing the stool you may begin to 
send them to table in the early days of March, or even at 
the end of February. On the 15th of March, 1876, Messrs. 
Hooper and Co., of Covent Carden, presented to the notice 
of the Fruit and Vegetable Committee of the Boyal Horti- 
cultural Society a fine sample of the Alpha potato, the result 
of a very simple mode of forcing adopted by Mr. Barker, of 
Littlehampton. The sets were planted on the 13th of 
