November 2, 1882. ] JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 407 
escape, which should not occur, as the main point in preserving Beet¬ 
root is to keep them whole, as bruised or broken roots lose their 
colour as well as their qualities. The roots when lifted should be 
laid on the ground to dry ; then cut off their tops, but not too 
closely, for the same reason as we would avoid breaking the roots. 
In storing them the best way is to place them in layers in a cool shed 
or cellar, with a small quantity of sand between each. In a month 
or so hence they should be examined to see if any are decaying, and 
after removing these the others may be put back again in the same 
way. This may be repeated as it may be required, and in spring all 
growths on the crowns should be rubbed off.—A Kitchen Gardener. 
NOTES ON POTATOES—THE CROPS IN IRELAND. 
The season that is now almost closed, as far as the crops are 
concerned, has been a strange one. It has been very wet and in 
a great measure sunless ; yet notwithstanding the farmers have 
abundant crops of all produce except the Potatoes, which, although 
about half a crop compared with last year, are quite up to the 
average of the ten years previous to 1881, which year was said to 
yield a crop equal to those before the failure in 1847. 
Amongst farmers here very few varieties of Potatoes are grown. 
The Scotch Champion has ousted all the Rocks, red and white, 
and last year was almost ousted itself by the Skerry. The good 
qualities of the Champion were not at all appreciated last year, as 
it grew strong and very many were hollow in the centre, Tons of 
them were sold in our local market for as low as from Is. 5 d. to 
Is. 8d. per cwt., and these were for stock-feeding, very few 
were for culinary use. This year the Champions are being sold at 
from 3s. £>(l. to 4s. per cwt. The Skerry resists the disease quite 
as well as the Champion, but if not allowed to come to maturity 
the tubers contain little starch. This year both were cut down m 
July—the Skerry not more than half-grown at the time—therefore 
it has lost its high place for favour this year. This early cutting 
has been most favourable to the Champion, for the tubers are a 
convenient size for the table and contain plenty of starch. 
The season 1881 was not at all what might be called a dry one ; 
yet the rain during the Potato growth was not excessive—just 
enough to keep them growing, never at any time saturating the 
soil, and, besides, the atmosphere was clear of fogs and mists. 
Fogs and much rain, I am convinced, are the chief causes of the 
Potato disease. I do not pretend to know the origin of the Potato 
failure, but I am sure from experience that it is now increased by 
wet foggy seasons ; and, as I stated in this Journal years ago, it is 
only those Potatoes that have stout haulms and strong constitu¬ 
tions that can stand against such seasons. If the Skerry and 
Champion escape till about the 1st of September the haulms are 
strong enough to resist disease ; but this year it came on them 
when they were very soft about the 12th of July. Still, although 
the Skerrys are small there are very few diseased tubers, even 
fewer than amongst the Champions ; the latter have at least 
20 per cent, bad tubers. The Magnum Bonum has only a few 
diseased ; it is not generally known. I recommended it to my 
employer. We procured it, and it has proved very satisfactory. 
It has three valuable qualities—viz., it is a good cropper, cooks 
well, and is disease-proof. It deserves a place in every collec¬ 
tion, and must force its way as a standard variety; but I think its 
shape is against it, most people being suspicious of kidney-shaped 
Potatoes. 
The early varieties all surrendered to the disease at once, and 
as they are nearly all of the soft-haulm sorts they were much 
diseased. We have a variety which is grown amongst the early 
sorts, but is only a second early. It resists the disease remarkably 
well (proving my theory), having strong fibry haulms. The tubers 
are reddish, large, a good cropper, and good quality. It is named 
Wonderful. 
I have the brightest hopes for the success of the Potato crop, 
and, one year with another, shall always have a crop with such 
varieties as we have, and even better ones I expect to come 
forward yet; so that with such a good, abundant, and early 
cropper as Myatt’s Prolific to be out before the disease comes on, 
and such late varieties as I have named above able to resist the 
disease, we have little to fear.—B. G., Co. Down. 
SEWAGE, SOOT, AND ASHES. 
I WAS glad to see recorded on page 383, under the above head¬ 
ing, the experience of Mr. J. Taylor, for I also rely greatly 
on sewage water and soot for fertilisers, though, thanks to parafim 
not being used, I have not suffered. I feel sure Mr. Taylor has 
found out the true cause of his failures, and has done a public 
service by bringing it under the notice of the readers of the 
Journal. I have on many occasions seen both butler and footman 
throwing the waste colza oil down the drains, and have often 
wished it could have been seen by a more important person. Then 
the thought has occurred to me of what is to be done with such 
waste material. For my part I would like it to be disposed of 
in the ashpit, as my ground, being of a light nature, I only require 
the ashes for the paths, the cinders being used in the stokehole ; 
in fact, I have asked that all broken glass and such-like stuff may 
go there to be run down to clinkers, which are of some service, 
while broken glass with me is abominable.—J. S. A. 
NOTES ON THE ROSE ELECTION. 
I DO not know when I have been more interested than with the 
two numbers of the Journal of Horticulture containing the Rose 
elections. The first six varieties of Hybrid Perpetuals are almost 
exactly as I should have placed them, but I should place Louis 
Van Houtte, E. T. Teas, Marie Finger, and Abel Carrifere higher 
in the list than the positions they occupy. I was surprised to find 
Felix Genero without a place, as it is a Rose which produces as 
large a proportion of perfect blooms as any I know ; perhaps it is 
not of a fashionable shape. I am delighted to find Catherine 
Mermet at the head of the Teas, as it is a very old favourite of 
mine—in fact, except Gloire de Dijon, the first Tea-scented Rose 
I possessed. 
Since writing the above I have received another most interest¬ 
ing Journal. I see that all the Roses I have mentioned get pro¬ 
motion in Mr. Ellwanger’s list, but he puts Charles Lefebvre and 
Etienne Levet very low. I should have thought Madame Lacharme 
suited to the American climate.—A New Reader. 
The annual meeting of the Pelargonium Society is an¬ 
nounced to be held at South Kensington on Tuesday, Novem¬ 
ber 14th, at 1 p.m. On the same day the promoter of the proposed 
Pink show will arrange a few preliminaries. 
- As a consequence of the high tides and floods market 
gardeners in the valley of the Thames have suffered con¬ 
siderably, much land being under water and the crops in danger. 
One grower is said to have nine acres of Celery flooded. 
- An Oxfordshire correspondent writes :—“ I have studied 
with much interest Mr. Iggulden’s excellent article on varieties of 
Peaches and Nectarines. He must have overlooked the Salwey 
Peach, an excellent late variety. With us it has ripened with a 
most delicious flavour. It cannot be relied on if the autumn is 
dull and sunless.” 
- A gardener submits the following as his estimate of 
Lantanas :—“ These plants are rising in popularity, as they are 
easily propagated, grow freely, bloom profusely, and the flowers 
are exquisite in shape and beautiful in colour. As seen in 
full bloom planted in flower beds or growing in pots they are 
most attractive, but their odour is most disagreeable.” 
- The following are the fixtures of the Royal Botanic 
Society for 1883 :—Spring Exhibitions, Wednesdays, March 28th, 
April 25th. Summer Exhibitions, Wednesdays, May 16th, June 
13th. Evening Fete, Wednesday, June 27tb, 8 to 12 p.m. Pro¬ 
menades, every Wednesday from May 2nd to August 1st, except¬ 
ing May 16th, June 13th and 27th. Lectures at 4 p.m. Fridays, 
May 4th to June 22nd. General Meetings for election of new 
Fellows, &c., Saturdays, at 3.45 :—January 13th, 27th ; February 
10th, 24th ; March 10th, 24th ; April 14th, 28th ; May 12th, 26th ; 
June 9th, 2 3rd ; July 14th, 28th ; November 10th, 24th ; Decem¬ 
ber 8th. Anniversary, Friday, August 10th, at 1 p.m. 
- The Chrysanthemums at the Inner Temple have im¬ 
proved surprisingly within the past week, and Mr. Newton now 
has a very pretty display, the flowers abundant, bright, and of 
clear colours. Of the new varieties recently noted Lord Beacons- 
