March 29, 1883. ] JOUBNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 253 
corresponding class for six pots the prizetakers were Messrs. G-. 
Moreton and W. Bustard. 
Miscellaneous Exhibits .—The various exhibits contributed by local 
nurserymen added materially to the beauty and attractiveness of the 
Exhibition. Messrs. T. Davies & Co., Wavertree, staged a magni¬ 
ficent collection of plants in flower, including Azaleas, Rhododendrons, 
Amaryllises, Spiraeas, Dielytra spectabilis, and many other seasonable 
plants, the most striking feature of this collection being about one 
hundred Hyacinths in grand condition, and about the same quantity 
of Tulips and pots of Lily of the Valley, the latter being magnificent 
■with spikes and bells of enormous size. Messrs. R. P. Ker & Sons 
contributed a very choice collection of spring-flowering plants inter¬ 
mixed with Palms, Ferns, and others. In this collection Impatiens 
Sultani was conspicuous, and the Judges awarded it a first-class cer¬ 
tificate. . Choisya ternata, remarkably well grown, was also very 
effective in this group. The Horticultural Company (John Cowan) 
also contributed a similar assortment of plants freely intermixed with 
Tea Roses in bloom and Orchids. Mr. Bridge, gardener to Mrs. 
Jowett, Huyton, sent a box of Tea Rose blooms, Alba rosea, remark¬ 
able for size and substance, for which an extra prize was awarded. 
The Horticultural Company had a first-class certificate for a new 
crested form of Pteris serrulata cristata named Cowani, which is very 
distinct. 
The manner in -which the various arrangements of this Exhibition 
were carried out reflected great credit upon Mr. Richardson the Chair¬ 
man, Mr. J. Gore, Secretary, and the whole of the Committee. 
ROOT-EXTENSION versus ROOT-RESTRICTION. 
On no subject are authors of garden literature more at variance 
than on the matter of soils most suited to the requirements of the 
different classes of plants ; and in many cases, though the practice 
differs very widely, it is astonishing how near alike the results are. 
The cause of this is not so difficult to explain as at first sight it may 
appear, for each grower treats his plants according to the compost 
in which he has planted them. But although equal results may be 
obtained from soils distinct in their chemical nature, the same 
effect seldom follows the opposite practice of restraining or extend¬ 
ing the root space. 
From an early period it has been observed that if the roots of a 
plant be restricted, its floriferous habit, and as a natural consequence 
its fruitfulness, will be increased. That there is some grounds for 
the idea very few will doubt; but it is hard for a gardener who has 
mastered his business to believe that it is altogether correct. If 
we take a glance at the gardens of the past and compare them with 
those of the present, we cannot help thinking that the idea is little 
believed in. Do we not still see restriction recommended, though 
so little practised in first-class establishments ? Are we to think, then, 
that theory and practice are opposed on such an important matter? 
There may be cases in which the restricted method is necessarily 
applied where convenience is small, but for my part I would rather 
grow a few plants well than crowd the place with stunted specimens. 
Those of us who have had charge of Vines in pots know well the 
greater amount of attention and labour were incurred in early forc¬ 
ing as compared with Vines in inside borders, and not a few have 
been disappointed at the sometimes very scanty crop of the former. 
Can we wonder, then, that the more rational system is gradually 
gaining favour ? Take orchard-house trees again. A few years 
ago much was said in favour of growing fruit trees in pots. Orchard 
houses were built and filled with such trees ; but comparatively few 
remain, for the roots are revelling with freedom in the soil which 
before they could only reach after long struggles through the per¬ 
forated bottoms of the pots, and better results fully justify the 
change. 
But it is not so much in the culture of fruits as of plants that 
restriction is most practised. Take the Allamanda for instance ; 
though often grandly flowered in a pot it cannot be compared to the 
glorious spectacle produced by a plant in a border, the growths 
trained up the roof of a stove. The same remark applies to Clero- 
dendr.ms, Bougainvilleas, and many others. Nor do I leave out 
the Stephanotis. Though well aware that it is contrary to the 
practice of many good growers, I hold that it is never seen in its 
best except where it has the root run of a prepared border. If the 
plants are grown for exhibition or to be removed for conservatory 
decoration, then they must of necessity be grown in pots or tubs; 
but if required for cutting or to see them in all their glory they 
require to be planted out, 
If we are to take a lesson from Nature the reason is soon obvious 
why freedom of root-action produces better results than where the 
roots are restrained. Not that we can follow Nature in all respects, 
but it is time for us to forego past notions if modern practice has 
proved them to be incorrect.—J. Macdonald. 
Lifting Vines in March. — In reply to your correspondent 
Mr. Nunns in relation to the age of the Vines referred to on 
page 189, I wish to say that I cannot give him the exact age of 
the Vines when lifted, but should think they had been planted about 
twenty years. This is the nearest I can gather from some of the 
men here, although the Vines did not look that age in appearance, 
for their stems had evidently discontinued swelling. They have, in 
fact, nearly doubled in size near the base since they were lifted, but 
the higher portions of the canes have not swelled to the same extent. 
I have known the Vines in question a little over seven years, but had 
no control over their management until five years ago. The first 
year I knew them a trench was cut some 4 feet from the front of the 
border, and the contents of a number of closets were deposited in the 
trench, which killed a considerable quantity of the roots that were 
not cut off with the spade in making the trench. To this I attribute 
the cause of the roots springing from the collar as mentioned in my 
notes. This instance of manuring Vines with a vengeance, and the 
result is perhaps worth recording.—W. Bardsey. 
POTATOES FOR TABLE AND MARKET. 
(Continued from page 234.) 
In the following notes the figures 1, 2, and 3 indicate first early, second early, 
and iate varieties ; the months the time of planting; and the asterisks those 
varieties that are considered the best for market purposes by the respective 
cultivators. 
Sussex. —1. February and March. Old Ashleaf, *Myatt’s Ashleaf 
and Veitch’s Ashleaf. Soil.—Medium. 2. March. Woodstock Kid¬ 
ney, *Early Rose, and Beauty of Hebron. Soil in this and the 
following section heavy. 3. Early in April. Paterson’s Victoria, 
♦Magnum Bonum, Schoolmaster, and Queen of the Valley. Manures 
and Application.—Stable manure dug-in in the autumn. If any 
artificial manure is used it is applied soon after the Potatoes appear 
above ground, superphosphate of lime being then hoed or forked in. 
General Remarks.—This is very bad soil for Potatoes, but by generous 
cultivation and planting wide I obtain good table produce and crops 
from the sorts mentioned.—G. Williams, The Gardens, Peasmarsh 
Place. 
1. First week in March. *Myatt’s Ashleaf and *Veitch’s Improved 
Ashleaf. Soil.—Medium, being made so by leaf soil, ashes, and 
cocoa-nut fibre refuse mixed together. The natural soil here is a 
heavy loam, not good for Potatoes. 3. Second week in March. 
♦Magnum Bonum and *Schoolmaster. Soil.—Same as for early sorts. 
Manures and Application.—Manure from decayed hotbeds is applied 
in the autumn, and the ground dug 2 feet deep. General Remarks.— 
Early varieties are planted 2 feet 3 inches between the rows, the 
ground being previously forked and allowed to dry a little before 
planting. The sets are planted about 3 or 4 inches deep ; when the 
Potatoes come up the ground is forked between the rows. Late 
varieties are planted 3 feet between the rows, and about 15 inches 
from plant to plant. I usually lift early, or as soon as the tops are 
ripe. Magnum Bonum and Schoolmaster do best on this coil, though 
Snowflake does well some seasons.—H. Prinsep, Buxted Park, Uck- 
field. 
1. February. Veitch’s Ashleaf, *Royal Ashleaf, and Myatt’s Ash¬ 
leaf. Soil.—Light. 2. March. Bresee’s Peerless, Schoolmaster, and 
♦Beauty of Hebron. Soil.—Medium. 3. April. *Magnum Bonum, 
♦Scotch Champion, and White Elephant. Soil.—Heavy. Manures 
and Application.—Spent hotbed manure dug-in in the autumn for 
early varieties, and a dressing of the same in the spring for second 
earlies ; but for late kinds newly reclaimed land with farmyard 
manure is best placed under the Potatoes at planting-time. General 
Remarks.—Potatoes as a rule are too closely planted ; the rows should 
be a yard apart. A crop of Brussels Sprouts or Broccoli can be 
planted between the rows of early kinds, and it is most important 
that the late kinds be planted in drills and earthed-up in summer 
with the plough, as is done in Scotland.— Joseph Rust, Bridge 
Castle. 
1. Last week in February. Walnut-leaved Kidney, Early Cold¬ 
stream, *Myatt’s Prolific, and Porter’s Excelsior. Soil.—For first 
and second earlies light and rich. 2. Middle of March. Improved 
Lapstone, Daintree’s Seedling, Beauty of Kent, and *Adirondack. 
3. End of March. *Paterson’s Victoria, ♦Scotch Champion, *Pride of 
Ontario, and *Magnum Bonum. Soil.—Poor and sandy. Manures 
and Application.—Farmyard manure when possible, otherwise the 
leaves and short grass collected in the pleasure ground, well rotted, 
with all the ashes and charred refuse that we can collect spread on 
the ground in spring, and well worked into the soil with the cultivator 
during dry weather. General Remarks.—Trenching and ridging the 
soil during the autumn and early winter, levelling the ridges in 
spring when dry, and carting or wheeling the manure on to the sur¬ 
face, to be afterwards worked into the soil in the manner indicated. 
We plant 10 to 18 inches apart in rows 30 to 42 inches apart, accord¬ 
ing to variety. So soon as the tops are above ground the cultivator is 
kept at work loosening and sweetening the soil until the plants are 
ready for moulding up. The crop is dug as soon as ripe, and stored 
in a cold dark cellar in preference to earth pits. For seed we like 
the tubers about the size of a hen’s egg, and find no better place for 
storing than the shelves of the Apple-room. The varieties enumerated 
with the mode of cultivation gives ns excellent crops of good quality, 
with little or no disease.—J. Gilmour, Seacox Heath, Hawkhurst. 
