JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
136 
[ August 12, 1880. 
intended for the animals as soon as possible after the crop has been 
raised. Unless this is done the decaying haulm and waste Pota¬ 
toes may fill the ground with the spores of the destroying mildews. 
2, Do not throw the haulm and waste Potatoes upon the manure 
heap, because the mildew spores will gain in strength by resting in 
the manure, and this manure will help to spread the Potato disease 
next season. 
3, Boil for a long time all diseased, and even apparently sound 
Potatoes before you feed animals with them. It is highly probable 
that the seeds of the Potato mildews gain strength by passing 
through the stomach of an animal, the pig for instance. The 
manure of animals fed on raw diseased Potatoes and Potato 
parings may, for the above reason, become a powerful means of 
spreading the Potato disease. 
4, Do not grow Potatoes on the same piece of land two years 
in succession. Any mildew spores which may rest in the ground 
from the last year’s Potato crop will begin to grow about the 
beginning or middle of May ; but they will quickly perish if they 
cannot find Potato plants at hand to nurse them. 
5, Be sure the seed Potatoes are quite free from disease when 
planted. A Potato does not always show the disease on the out¬ 
side ; therefore it will be necessary to cut the sets, in order that 
the condition of each one may be seen. A few diseased plants 
will serve to infect acres of Potatoes in a wet warm season. Some 
varieties of Potatoes—notably Scotch Champion and Magnum 
Bonum—resist disease to a remarkable degree, though of course 
not entirely. Such varieties only should be planted for the main 
crop. First early Potatoes' should be planted as early as possible, 
and raised as soon as ever they are marketable. 
6, Use chemical manures in preference to any others for the 
Potato crop. Ordinary manures may, especially if brought from a 
distance, contain the mildew spores. 
7, A Potato crop may generally be saved by pulling up the 
haulm throughout the whole crop as completely as possible directly 
the disease spots appear on the leaves of any one of the plants. 
Of course the tubers will not grow any larger after the leaves and 
stalks have been removed. They will, however, ripen in the 
ground (more or less according to the season), and though they 
may not be very large they will be fit for food. 
8, To ensure success all the Potato growers of a neighbourhood 
should follow the above plan. One plot of diseased Potatoes may 
furnish spores enough in July to destroy the surrounding Potato 
crops .—(.Hereford Times.} 
ABOUT LIVERPOOL. 
Under the above heading some interesting notes were pub¬ 
lished last year descriptive of some good gardens contiguous to 
the great seaport, brief notes of the undermentioned gardens may 
therefore also be acceptable. The first I will notice is 
HOLLY LODGE. 
This is the residence of Mrs. Berg, West Derby. The gardens 
are not extensive nor the houses numerous, yet they contain a 
general assortment of decorative plants. The lawn is the prin¬ 
cipal feature, which stretches out boldly from the front of the 
house, and is evenly balanced with such shrubs that succeed v r ell 
in the neighbourhood. At the time of my visit I was much struck 
with the quantity of Hollyhocks free from disease intermixed 
with the shrubs in various parts of the grounds, which had a very 
pleasing appearance. The fruit and kitchen gardens were well 
attended to, the latter being clean and well cropped. The garden 
on the whole was in excellent order, much to the credit of the 
gardener, Mr. Richardson. 
BANKFIELD. 
This is situated not more than fifteen minutes’ walk from Holly 
Lodge, and is the residence of Mrs. Nichol. The garden is by no 
means large, but is well kept. The Vines were in very good con¬ 
dition, especially Foster’s Seedling and Black Hamburghs, from 
which first-rate Grapes are produced. Another house is entirely 
occupied with one Black Hamburgh Vine (forty years old), which 
also runs from one end of the adjoining conservatory to the other. 
This Vine has been under Mr. Massie’s charge for twenty-two 
years. It carried for fourteen years 120 bunches annually, and 
about a hundred annually for the remaining eight years. The 
Vine is still vigorous, and has improved within the last few years, 
its roots having free access to a new border. Peaches are well 
grown in two houses, the trees healthy, well and thinly trained. 
The conservatory contains some magnificent specimens of Camellias 
in tubs, while Azaleas and other plants are well grown. The 
walls of the garden are well furnished with hardy fruit trees, such 
as flourish and fruit best in the neighbourhood. Pears are repre¬ 
sented by several varieties, many of which have been grafted, and 
the same process is still carried on in season with those varieties 
only that prove of sterling merit and first-rate quality. Every¬ 
thing that is taken in hand by Mr. Massie appears to be well 
done, and the garden generally is as well kept as any in the 
vicinity of Liverpool, which affords ample evidence of the skill 
of its manager. 
HOLHESTEAD. 
This, the pleasantly situated residence of J. T. Davis, Esq., is 
located at Moseley Hill, four miles from Liverpool. The grounds 
are not extensive, but such as anyone might take an interest in. 
It is situated on rising ground, and commands extensive views of 
the surrounding country. The houses are nine in number, and 
filled with such occupants as are generally to be seen. The Vines 
are only in fair condition, and the borders shortly are to be reno¬ 
vated. In one of the houses I noticed a Bougainvillea glabra 
flowering profusely, and the conservatory, which is lofty and close 
to the house, contained a good pair of Tree Ferns. In one of the 
pits were a fine strain of Primulas. In various parts of the grounds 
where alterations are now going on are arches of ancient con¬ 
structed of sandstone and entirely covered with the common Tree 
Ivy. In other places heaps of rockwork are formed into seats and 
covered similarly to the arches, and in solitary places glimpses 
are caught of the stone. These are uncommon, and impart a 
novel appearance to the grounds. The gardens are in good order, 
and neatness seemed the order of the day with Mr. Beesley, the 
able gardener. 
ROSEMOTTNT 
Is situated in the most pleasant part of the suburbs of Liverpool 
—viz., Aigburth, and its worthy owner is R. G. Allan, Esq. From 
various parts of the grounds, especially from an elevated walk, 
good views of Cheshire are obtained, and beautiful glimpses of 
the surrounding neighbourhood. This place on the whole is rather 
extensive, especially the glass houses, which lay in two separate 
parts of the grounds, whilst the conservatory is a good-sized 
structure adjoining the mansion, and is devoted to flowering plants, 
with Camellias as permanent plant occupants. The vineries are 
three in number, one of them being a very large span-roofed house, 
and the Vines in it are two years old and have borne a few good 
bunches and made excellent short-jointed canes. The Rose 
house is a large span-roofed structure with the Roses planted 
out, trained under the roof, and underneath were trained plants 
of Mignonette, Chrysanthemums, and quantities of small stan¬ 
dard and dwarf plants of Laurustinus grown from cuttings, 
which are strong and showing abundance of flower. Running 
parallel with the last house is a new stove ; it is a large, light, 
fine house, and admirably adapted for plants. The walks are laid 
with fancy tiles. The house has a well-heated bed in the centre, 
and a substantial stage round the sides. The structure has been 
erected by Messrs. Webster & Sons, and I may safely conclude it 
is the best house for stove plants in the neighbourhood of Liver¬ 
pool. There are also houses for growing Fancy and French Pelar¬ 
goniums, hardwooded plants, and Azaleas. The fernery is worthy 
of special notice, which is artistically arranged with rockwork, 
designed and executed by Mr. Francis, the gardener. The rock 
is composed of red sandstone, and the Ferns are thriving freely 
upon it. Oncidium flexuosum appears to grow luxuriantly asso¬ 
ciated with the Ferns, which are planted out, intermixed with 
fine-foliaged Begonias. There are two waterfalls, which have a 
natural appearance dashing over the rugged rocks until it descends 
into the little pool beneath. 
Before reaching the remaining houses I followed a winding 
walk, bedded on each side, and banked up with evergreens in the 
background. This walk leads from the mansion to the flower 
garden, which is formed into a square, and the beds are cut out in 
the turf. It is enclosed by banks of Rhododendrons and other 
evergreen shrubs with the entrance before mentioned, and outlet 
walks leading to various parts of the grounds. The one I followed 
led into the kitchen garden, where is the remaining portion of 
glass, the first being the one which now contains the stove plants, 
but which will eventually be occupied with Cucumbers and Melons. 
The next to this is a span-roofed structure, 200 feet or more long, 
and about 10 feet wide, divided into three compartments. One 
was filled with Primulas ; another with Tomatoes, bearing a 
wonderful crop of fruit in various stages, which will afford abun¬ 
dant supply all winter. The last was filled with plants for winter 
blooming, amongst them being a number of Daphnes trained on 
umbrella-shaped trellises. The pleasure grounds, the kitchen, 
fruit, and flower gardens, are well managed and well kept.—W. B. 
Limnocharis Hemboldtii. —This is an aquatic that should 
be more generally grown. Its flowers, which are produced nearly 
every day throughout the summer, may be picked with several 
