March 1, 1883. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
173 
in the autumn, ploughed in with guano.— James Simmons, Carclew, 
Perranarworihel. 
Cumberland. —1. 1st of March. Mona’s Pride and Royal Ashleaf. 
Soil.—Light, gravelly subsoil. 2. Beginning to end of March. Myatt’s 
Prolific Ashleaf, Racehorse, and Regents. 3. First week in April. 
*Magnum Bonurn, ^Scotch Champion, and Skerry Blues. Manures 
and Application.—Farmyard manure, applied at the time of planting. 
Cultural Remarks.—The plants are kept free from weeds until the 
haulm covers the ground. On a suitable soil the Magnum Bonum 
is the best late Potato in cultivation. It resists the disease as 
well as the Scotch Champion, and when grown on light soil, the same 
as here, it is of excellent flavour. It has also the advantage of being 
free from deep eyes, and to those who have to purchase Potatoes 
this is of much importance, as it prevents waste /when the Potatoes 
are being prepared for cooking. When grown on heavy soils, how¬ 
ever, the Magnum Bonum cooks rather “ soapy.”—J." Hammond, 
Brayton, Carlisle. 
1. March. * Rivers’ Royal Ashleaf, Old Ashleaf. Soil.—Heavy, 
2. March. * Myatt’s Prolific Ashleaf and Schoolmaster. 3. April. 
*Scotch Champion, Paterson’s Victoria, Dalmahoy, and Magnum 
Bonum. Cultural Remarks.—The ground is well manured and dug 
in the autumn, leaving it in 2-feet ridges. Before planting the 
ground is well forked over, breaking the soil as fine as possible, 
planting the Potatoes as we go on, the first and second earlies in 
rows 2 feet apart and 1 foot from set to set, adding to each set 
sufficient leaf soil and old Mushroom-bed refuse for the young tubers 
to swell in. The late varieties are treated just the same, with the 
exception of being planted from 3 feet to 3 feet 4 inches between the 
rows.— Frederick Clarke, Lowther Castle Gardens. 
Derbyshire. —1. As early in February as the weather will per¬ 
mit. Veitch’s Improved Ashleaf and Myatt’s Prolific Ashleaf. Soil. 
—Heavy, retentive. 2. As early in March as the weather will 
permit. Schoolmaster and Beauty of Hebron. 3. Early in March. 
Magnum Bonum and Paterson’s Victoria. Manures and Application. 
—There are many manures that may be advantageously used in 
a mild form for our stiff soil. We find spent hops, dissolved bones, 
lime, salt, and well-decayed farmyard manure dug in early in the 
autumn and just before earthing-up, a little soot, wood ashes, or 
guano sown over the surface, taking care not to touch the leaves, 
otherwise the stems will be injured. Where it can be procured well- 
decayed seaweed is an excellent manure. Cultural Remarks.—We 
usually give all the new introductions a fair trial. Some years ago 
we had over one hundred varieties, but after a few years’ trial we 
find these six kinds to be the most reliable for all purposes. Nothing 
enjoys fresh soil more than the Potato, but as we have to grow them 
in old cultivated gardens manures must be resorted to. We also find 
it best to give them plenty of room, select good sets, and plant early 
about 5 inches deep. Magnum Bonums are the heaviest croppers. 
Plenty of sets yield 10 tbs. of good tubers under quite ordinary culture 
of such kinds as Magnum Bonum, Beauty of Hebron, and Schoolmaster; 
Myatt’s, 7 tbs.; Veitch’s, 4 tbs. per set.—J. H. GoODACRE, Elvaston 
Castle Gardens. 
Devonshire. —1. End of February. Veitch’s Improved Ashleaf, 
Myatt’s Prolific Ashleaf, Rivers’ Royal Ashleaf, and ’Early Rose. 
Soil.—Light and sandy. 2. Middle of March. Prince Arthur, *Dal- 
mahoy, Drummond’s Prolific, and Fortyfold. Soil.—Light loam. 
3. Beginning of April. ’Magnum Bonum, ’Scotch Champion, Pater¬ 
son's Victoria, and Red-skin Flourball. Soil.—Strong heavy loam. 
Manures and Application.—For early crops a mixture of horse drop¬ 
pings and leaf soil. For second and general crops a mixture of well- 
decayed cow manure and leaf soil.— Donald Mackay, Maristow 
Bouse, Roborough. 
1. January, or as early in this month or February as the weather 
permits. The Ashleaf varieties. Soil.—Light garden soil ; on south 
borders, or on the warmest sites in kitchen garden. 2. March, not 
later than Lady-day. Fortyfold, Flourball, ’Early Rose, and ’Beauty 
of Hebron. Soil.—For these and the following medium, red loam, 
resting on rock of volcanic origin, other parts of the same field on 
the red sandstone. 3. March, not later than Lady-day. York 
Regents, ’Scotch Champion, ’Magnum Bonum, and ’Reading Hero. 
Manures and Application.—Common stableyard manuie and the 
refuse of the pleasure grounds—viz., grass, leaves, &c., decayed and 
mixed with fresh lime, well mixed back when slaked, and allowed to 
remain for a considerable time. The above manure and mixture are 
used in alternate years, one year the manure and the next the com¬ 
post. Cultural Remarks.—The field culture is done deeply by the 
plough, and well dragged, rolled, &c., until of fine tilth. The manure 
ploughed down as early in the year as the weather will allow, the 
cultivation being only proceeded with in fine weather. When got to 
a fine tilth we plough in the general crop on a dry day from 2j feet to 
3 feet apart, and 7 inches deep, and let it remain until they are about 
coming through the surface of the soil. The field is then well har¬ 
rowed on a sunny drying day. This acts as a thorough check to all 
small weeds. They are afterwards horse-hoed between and hand-hoed 
in the rows as required. The Regents are dug in August, early or 
later as the season may he. It is necessary to lift this sort at once 
as soon as the disease attacks it, as, although it is of the best quality, 
it suffers much more than the other late sorts. They are left until the 
haulm dies. As our soil is naturally perfectly drained, we plant the 
sets 7 inches deep, and do not earth up. The first leaves are there¬ 
fore fully developed, instead of being buried with the soil, and thereby 
shortening the season.— John Garland, Killerton, Exeter. 
1. End of February. Wood’s Ashleaf, ’Veitch’s Improved Ashleaf, 
and ’Myatt’s Prolific Ashleaf. Soil.—Medium. 2. About the middle 
of March. Beauty of Hebron, Dalmahoy, ’Paterson’s Victoria, and 
Schoolmaster. Soil.—Medium. 3. End of March. ’Scotch Cham¬ 
pion, *Magnum Bonum, and Fluke. Soil.—Medium. Manures and 
Application.—I never use any manure for planting. I prefer planting 
on sand that has been manured for a previous crop, and use plenty 
of lime at planting time. We have about 2 feet depth of soil on the 
lime rock. I find the more manure used the more diseased are the 
tubers.— William Wood, Bishopstowe, Torquay. 
Dorsetshire. — 1. At intervals during February and March. 
Turner’s Early Bird, Ashleaf, and Veitch’s Improved Ashleaf. Soil. 
—Light. 2. Middle of March. Gloucestershire Kidney and Lady 
Paget, a good variety of the Lapstone section. Soil.—Medium. 3, 
First week in March. Schoolmaster and Scotch Champion. Soil.— 
Medium. Manures and Application.—We plant in drills and cover 
them in with old lime rubbish, with a liberal dressing of soot or 
burnt refuse. Cultural Remarks.—We plant early varieties 2 feet, 
apart, and the later ones 2 feet G inches, and 1 foot from set to set. 
We never use fresh dung on land intended for Potatoes, as I believe 
it helps to spread disease. In addition to those already named we 
grow a collection of the leading varieties for experimental purposes. 
—W. G. Pragnell, Castle Gardens, Sherborne. 
1. Plant in frames in January and February for succession, and 
outdoors in March for general crop; earth up and preserve from 
frosts. Early Bird, Veitch’s Improved Ashleaf, ’Coldstream or 
Smith’s Early, and ’Myatt’s Prolific Ashleaf. Soil.—Light and rich ; 
leaf soil, sandy loam, and well-decayed dung for pit or frame Potatoes. 
Choose a sunny well-sheltered border for the first outdoor crop ; if 
the soil is heavy lighten by the addition of lime, burnt clay, or ashes. 
2. March, about the middle of the month, or later if soil is wet. 
’Flourball, ’Gloucester Kidney, ’Yorkshire Hero, and ’Hunting- 
don. Soil.—Sandy loam or sandy peat is the best for most kinds of 
Potatoes ; to secure good crops of well-flavoured tubers the soil must 
be light and porous. 3. Any time after March 1st when the soil is 
in good working order. ’Schoolmaster, ’Magnum Bonum, ’Pater- 
son’s Victoria, and ’Scotch Regents. Soil.—Some of the more hardy 
kind, such as Rocks or Scotch Champion, may do in medium strong 
soil, care being taken to plant shallow and to frequently stir the soil, 
and earth up the growing crop. Manures and Application.—Ordinary 
farmyard manure spread upon the ground and dug in or ploughed in 
the autumn, frequent sprinkling of guano or Brinkworth’s Potato 
manure strewed along the drills will encourage vigorous growth. 
Bonedust is also a first-rate manure. Cultural Remarks.—The varie¬ 
ties named are the best I know for general use in various localities. I 
have found them good croppers, good flavour, and hardy sorts. From 
many years’ experience in different parts of the country I find that 
success in Potato-growing is due to local causes, such as soil, situations, 
and well-matured tabers. The past year was most unfavourable for- 
maturing the tubers, consequently they are watery and destitute of 
flavour. It is generally admitted that change of seed, say every 
three years, is necessary for success in Potato-growing.— P. Davidson:, 
The Gardens, Iwerne House, Shaftesbury. 
Durham. —1. End of February or beginning of March. Mona's 
Pride, Myatt’s Kidney, ’Alma, and Veitch’s Improved Ashleaf. Soil. 
—Heavy. 2. March. Gloucestershire Kidney, Dalmahoy, ’Regent, 
and Schoolmaster. 3. March and beginning of April. Champion, 
*Paterson’s Victoria, and Fluke. Manures and Application.—Farm¬ 
yard manure, not too much decomposed, applied mostly in autumn. 
Cultural Remarks.—The plan I generally adopt is to crop with 
Potatoes in quarters that were used for Peas the previous season, give 
a good manuring, and throw up in ridges roughly the exact width I 
purpose planting the following year. When the planting season 
arrives I level the soil between the ridges, plant the Potatoes, and 
fork soil over them.— John Short, Hummerslcnott, Darlington. 
1. Second week in February, second week in March. Veitch’s 
Improved Ashleaf, ’Myatt’s Ashleaf, and Rivers’ Royal Ashleaf. 
Soil.—Light, on a sandy bottom. 2. Last week in March, inter¬ 
national, ’Late Rose, and King of Potatoes. 3. Third week in 
April. *Magnum Bonum, ’Schoolmaster, and ’Scotch Champion. 
Soil—These we plant in the field, the soil being medium on a clay 
bottom. Manures and Application.—Having a good supply of stable 
manure I use no other. For garden crops I prefer spreading it on. 
the surface, and digging it in for other crops to follow as soon as the 
early Potatoes are lifted. The second earlies I plant in rows 4 feet 
apart; this allows plenty of room for one row of Brussels Sprouts or 
Broccoli in between the Potatoes, which I find do very well.—JOHW 
Birch, Windlestone Hall, Ferry Bill, Co. Durham. 
1. November to March and April. Veitch’s Improved Ashleaf, 
Rivers’ Royal, and Myatt’s Prolific Ashleaf. Soil.—Medium on 
limestone. 2. November to April. Schoolmaster, Fortyfold, and 
Dalmahoy. 3. November to April. Lapstone, Regents, Victoria, and 
