382 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ October 27, 1881. 
to have the sets, either properly grown old tubers or the larger 
Potatoes, cut by a person who knows how they should be divided. 
Adopting this system I generally grow from three to four 
bushels to the rod. Now for the results of this year’s cultivation 
upon this system. Upon three rods of ground planted with 
Magnum Bonums (Suttons’ seed) I have five bushels to the rod. 
I weighed the first root taken up, which produced seventeen 
Potatoes, weight G^ lbs. 
Then I had twelve rods of Victoria Regents, of which three 
bushels and three pecks were grown to the rod. The only root 
which was weighed came to G^ lbs. A single tuber on another 
root weighed 1 lb. 2 ozs. If I had been aware of the quality and 
quantity my man was lifting I would have been very particular 
in ascertaining more about them. 
Some may say, “ It is all very well to' give these results of 
Potato culture on a small scale, but you cannot do the same on a 
large breadth.” I am ready ti join issue upon this. I have 
planted a field of four acres this year cultivated upon the same 
system, but they have not yet been taken up. There is a good 
crop, but they are not what I could wish, as the land has only 
just come into my hand in a very foul state, and in consequence 
I could not get the Potatoes in until late in the spring, and then 
the land was in a very bad state for dibbling-in the sets ; still I 
shall have as many as my neighbours if not more, and I only had 
to plant half the quantity of sets per acre—a very important item 
in the cost of production. I have also used Lawes’ artificial 
manure instead of the costly process of carting London or other 
dung. The only drawback to Potato culture is disease. Even 
in this respect I have been very lucky. I do not always apply 
manure, but sometimes give a good dressing of lime. This year I 
have only about three bushels of Victoria Regents bad, and none 
of the Magnum Bonum. Last year, in a very poor stony soil with¬ 
out a very large quantity of manure, at a yard apart, I grew twenty- 
five bushels of the German Reds from a bushel and a half of sets 
without any small tubers amongst them.— Geo. Biddell, Manor 
Office, Orsett, Essex. 
SCRAPS ABOUT FRUIT. 
Having upwards of eighty acres of permanent orchards besides 
a large collection of young trees, I am very much interested in 
the culture of hardy fruits, and have been much pleased to read 
the varied experiences of your correspondents on this subject. I 
would, however, suggest that the information contained in their 
articles would be of much more practical utility if they in all 
cases named the district in which they reside. I find that many 
of the sorts they recommend are quite unsuited to our climate in 
Nottinghamshire ; and if I now point out a few instances in which 
cur experiences differ, I trust your correspondents will not imagine 
that I in any way call in question the soundness of their judgment. 
It is simply a matter of soil and climate. “ A Northern Gar¬ 
dener ” has hit on a rather ingenious idea as to the relative 
earliness of bearing in early and late season Apples, but I fear 
that our experience will point out as many exceptions as cases 
which prove his rule. The one which struck me first of all is 
Court Pendu Plat, or, as we call it in this district, Wollaton 
Pippin, a very late Apple, which bears most abundantly on the 
Paradise at three years old. New Hawthornden, which keeps till 
December or January ; Sturmer Pippin, February to May ; North¬ 
ern Greening, April; New Northern Greening, Braddick’s Nonpa¬ 
reil, December to March, are all examples of late-season Apples 
which bear early. On the other hand, Irish Peach, Red Astrachan, 
Mr. Gladstone, and Early Julien, all early-season Apples, do not 
with us bear freely as young trees. Newtown Pippin, mentioned 
by “Isle of Wight,” requires a wall or orchard house here. 
Dutch Mignonne, as with your correspondent “R. P. B.,” cracks 
here. Warner’s King, said to keep till March, has only done so 
one season with us. It is usually over by November. It is none 
the less a valuable Apple. Manks Codlin, named as an early- 
bearing Apple, is perhaps more subject to American blight than 
any variety known, and Jolly Beggar is of very poor quality with 
us. Alexander, named as a market Apple, is grand when you can 
get it. With us it bears about once in four years ; it has the great 
defect (in a market fruit) of weighing light. Fearn’s Pippin is 
small for market, though a fair cropper. Doyenne Boussoch Pear 
is with us one of the very best orchard Pears. It has borne good 
crops every season for the last six years. In size and form it corre¬ 
sponds with your engraving, but the quality is not equal to that 
ascribed to specimens from a wall, being a little coarse and gritty ; 
still it is by no means despicable. Reinette du Canada Apple, 
recommended for orchard in North Yorkshire, bears very badly 
with us.—A. H. Pearson, Chilwcll, Notts. 
Carlisle Codlin Apple.—T his variety appears to be but 
little grown, the compilers of trade catalogues generally ignoring 
it. Yet it is one of the best of culinary Apples. It is specially 
suited to small gardens, as it is not at all robust in habit, in this 
respect differing widely from Keswick Codlin. It invariably 
crops well, and is the first of any Apple fit for use. We com¬ 
menced thinning the fruit for tarts early in August, and we have 
now a quantity of excellent fruit, which will keep till late in 
December. The fruit are scarcely so large as the Keswicks, but 
they are brighter in colour, heavier, and bake and boil beauti¬ 
fully. For Apple jelly they are preferred to Keswicks, the colour 
being superior.—W. Iggulden, Marston. 
Huysiie’s Victoria Pear for Pyramids. —We have been 
favoured with a good crop of this excellent Pear on a pyramid, 
and I have seen equally as good in gardens less suited to Pear 
culture than ours. It ripens at a time when good Pears are not 
very abundant—viz., in December and January.— Somerset. 
Dymond Peach. —I am not at all surprised at the inquiry of 
“ Hampshire Clergyman ” respecting the Dymond Peach. 
Some ten years ago I planted the following varieties—Early 
Alfred, Early York, Grosse Mignonne, Royal George, and Dymond 
(obtained from the nui’series of Messrs. Veitch, Chelsea) on a 
south wall. Of all the varieties enumerated above Dymond came 
into bearing first, and fine handsome fruit they were, not unlike 
Grosse Mignonne in appearance ; and, though incredible it may 
sound, I gathered, during the five years I had charge of the trees, 
more fruit of the Dymond than from all the others combined. 
Some of the fruit figured successfully in the prize list at shows 
both in collections and single dishes. The chief characteristics 
of this variety are extreme hardiness, moderate but free growth, 
and its exceptionally free-setting propensities. The fruit usually 
ripens about the beginning of September. I may add that during 
the flowering period no other protection was given than a few 
spruce branches.—A. W., Lincoln. 
Three Good Apples. — Galloway Pippin, Hambledon Deux 
Ans, and Dutch Mignonne, are worthy a place in every garden, 
the first-named growing to a large size. The first-named is good 
for dessert or kitchen use. With me it is somewhat a shy bearer. 
Hambledon Deux Ans is not quite so large, but a more showy 
fruit, the sunny side being prettily striped. It is an excellent 
keeper. I have kept fruits till July, and the tree is a good 
bearer; indeed, the one large tree here has not failed to carry 
a crop for the past six years. It is good for dessert and kitchen 
use. Dutch Mignonne is a smaller Apple, though none the less 
valuable, being good for all purposes. The few large well-shaped 
old trees here seldom fail to bring us some fine fruit. So pleased 
am I with these varieties that I have grafted from them on Crab 
stocks obtained from the immediate neighbourhood, my idea being 
that stocks would be likely to do better than if obtained from 
fresh soil. I also sowed some Apple pips last spring and have 
now thirty nice plants, some of which I shall graft, while a 
few I shall allow to bear, to prove the results from seed.— 
A. J. Sanders, Surrey. 
Ecklinville Seedling and Cox’s Pomona Apples.—“A 
Country Surgeon ” says, “ I intend ordering, among others, 
Ecklinville and Cox’s Pomona Apples.” I have them both, and 
find them, when compared with our standard varieties, wanting 
in size and productiveness, especially the former; they are also 
so mealy and dry and so soon decay that I would rather be with¬ 
out them. They may answer better on heavy clay soils ; ours is 
light and poor.—J. Taylor, Shrewsbury. 
Two First-rate Melons.— These are Victory of Bristol, scarlet 
flesh, and Hero of Lockinge, white flesh. The former was raised 
by Mr. Carmichael, and sent out by Mr. Turner of Slough. Fruit 
nearly round, above medium size, beautifully netted, and very 
handsome in appearance. Flesh bright scarlet, of good substance 
and excellent flavour. Plant of a strong hardy constitution, and 
free setter. Hero of Lockinge was raised by Mr. Atkins of 
Lockinge Gardens, and sent out by Messrs. Sutton & Sons, Read¬ 
ing. Fruit round, of a rich golden yellow colour, handsomely 
netted, and medium size. Flesh white, melting and delicious 
flavour. Plant vigorous and healthy, and sets its fruit freely. 
I have grown the above Melons both in houses and pits, and find 
them equally suitable for either purpose, and have the greatest 
confidence in recommending them.—T. Lockie, Oaldey Court, 
Windsor. 
Baldwin Apple. —This is a large, showy, free-bearing variety. 
As a pruned bush it has not failed to bear with me this last three 
