August 21 , 1890. 1 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
157 
The Potato Disease. —The following interesting communication was 
received from Mr. J. Wright, who records the fact that the immense 
advantage of high moulding was known so long as twenty-five or more 
years ago in Lincolnshire. He says : “ I first saw it in full and sys¬ 
tematic operation in most of the cottage gardens at Appleby, in Lincoln¬ 
shire. The seed tubers were placed a yard asunder on the surface, and 
mounded over. When growth appeared they were mounded again, and 
when the haulm had a tendency to fall down, three or four of the 
best stems (the weakest being pulled out) were gently bent down, 
the early leaves not being smothered, and spreadequidistantly, and then 
“ crowned ” with soil. This “ crowning ” was repeated at intervals till 
no more soil could be dug from between the mounds. The object of the 
cultivator was to get a peck of tubers (21 lbs. from a mound). I have 
had 18 lbs., 19 lbs., and 20 lbs., but never 21 lbs. I have known prac¬ 
tically the whole of the mound crops sound when those on the level 
were worthless, for the results of this system were far in advance of 
crops on the level in “ bad disease” years. With the introduction of strong 
upright-growing sorts the mound system fell into disuse. I have known 
several plants in the middle of a Potato bed tied upright to sticks and 
kept so, so that the early-formed leaves remain exposed to the light and 
air. These not only yielded more than twice the bulk of tubers of the 
surrounding procumbent plants, but the former were sound when dug 
whiie the latter were rotten. This was in a wet and “ great disease ” 
year. I remember once seeing water standing between the rows in a 
Potato, field because it could not pass through the hard “ sole ” or 
*' pan ” made with the plough. I took a fork and broke up the pan over 
a rod of ground, and the water rushed away. In no other part of the 
field were the Potatoes worth digging. With regard to varieties, short- 
topped Potatoes w r ere the favourites in former days for late or winter 
use and pig feeding, but the weak-stemmed and foliaged sorts were 
annihilated by the murrain, only the more robust and coarser surviving, 
and only one that could in any measure be relied on had stout woody 
stems that remained upright with large thick leaves. It was known as 
the “ Old London Red.” The quality, however, of the tubers was 
inferior, and Sutton’s Red-skinned Flour-ball was an improvement of 
great value in those days. Ever since varieties of the same upright 
growth and strong leaf-power have proved to be the best disease- 
resisters, and, fortunately, the tubers of several of these are now of 
good quality. Tender-stemmed late-growing varieties which fall and 
cover the ground not only prevent evaporation from the soil but lose 
all their best leaves prematurely through want of light and air, the 
weaker leaves towards the tops of the stems alone remaining (as long as 
they can) to exhale moisture and carry on the other functions of plant 
life. For this reason such plants fail to withstand the fungus, which 
readily takes possession.” 
Mr. Henslow drew attention to the recommendation of his father 
(the late Prof. J. S. Henslow) to save the starch from Potatoes 
which might be so far decayed as to be useless as an article of food, for 
75 per cent, of starch can often be recovered from such tubers. Several 
Suffolk farmers followed his suggestion in 1815, when whole fields were 
utterly destroyed by the disease. Mr. Henslow would be glad to 
describe the method to anyone who will communicate with him at 
Drayton House, Ealing. 
Stylidium graminifolium. —Mr. Morris called attention to a plant 
exhibited, a native of Australia. It is well known for the peculiarity of 
its irritable style. This is at first bent to one side, but when touched at 
the base suddenly flings itself over to the opposite side of the flower. A 
similar movement is observable in Maranta, a plant allied to the Ginger. 
Cypripedium superb lens. —A plant was exhibited by Malcolm S. 
Cooke, Esq., of Kingston Hill, of this Orchid, remarkable for having I 
three flowers, two of which bore double labella, while the third was 1 
twin-petalled. Dr. Masters observed that the number of malformed 
blossoms of Orchids which he had received was on the increase ; many 
occurring on C. Sedeni, they being always late flowers which are mal¬ 
formed, according to Mr. Veitch’s experience. C. Lawrenceanum is 
another which affords many monstrous conditions. Dr. Masters raised 
the question whether it might not be in many cases an indirect result of 
hybridisation. C. superbiens originated from a single plant accidentally 
included in a batch of Orchids, and though usually regarded as a distinct 
species, may possibly be (as Mr. Veitch suggested) a natural hybrid. 
Agapanthus umbellatus Malformed. —Mr. Wilson showed a flowering 
scape with the superficial tissue “ ripped up,” as it were, at various 
places along the edge of the somewhat flattened stem. It appeared to 
be due to an irregularity in the rates of growth of the tissues, so that the 
superficial layers had become ruptured at places, and curled outwards. 
< Teffersonia diphylla, Fruit of. —Mr. Wilson exhibited a specimen of 
the fruit of this Berberidaceous plant. It consists of a single carpel or 
follicle,” but instead of dehiscing down the ventral suture, as in 
Aconite, it bursts by a semi-circumscissile dehiscence, the lid remaining 
attached at one, the ventral side. In most cases of l< pyxis ” the lid is 
quite separate, as in Henbane, Plantains, and Anagallis. As the fruit 
is at right angles to the stalk, it has an extraordinary resemblance to a 
miniature pipe. 
Daffodil Bulbs with Merodon. —Mr. Wilks exhihibited bulbs of the 
double maximus, with the grubs of M. equestre within them. They 
destroy the interior of the bulb, but their presence brings about a pro- 
lification, as an immense quantity of bulbils are produced, which would 
not otherwise be the case. Hence they may be regarded as useful for 
the purpose of multiplication, though of course accompanied by the 
destruction of the flower which the original bulb would have borne. 
It appears that the grub descends into the ground in autumn to form 
the chrysalis, the imago escaping in the following summer. Hence the 
best period for examination of bulbs, in order to destroy the grub, 
wou’d be July. 
Gloxinia Leaves, Diseased .—Leaves covered on the under side with 
light brown spots and patches were received from Buckskin Hall, Herts. 
It was first suggested that overwatering, especially with cold water, 
might have been the cause, as this is apt to produce similar injuries ; 
but a microscropic examination revealed thrips and acari, which it was 
thought was no doubt the real cause of the mischief ; consequently it 
should be treated as usual with tobacco powder. 
Ilaastia pulvinus, Hh.f .—A fine specimen of this remarkable com¬ 
posite was exhibited by Mr. Richards, obtained by him from Mount 
Perceval, Amwin, at an elevation of 5000 feet. It forms dense masses 
of agglomerated woolly capitula with yellow florets. 
The next meeting of the Scientific Committee will be held in the 
Council room on October 14th. 
GOODIA L^TIFOLIA. 
There are many plants suitable for cultivation in greenhouses 
that are now seldom seen in collections, though they would help 
materially in increasing the diversity of effect in houses too fre¬ 
quently distinguished by monotony. A neglected plant almost con¬ 
fined to botanic gardens is Goodia 1/hifolia (fig. 20), an Australian 
evergreen shrub, which has been in this country for a great number 
of years, but has gained a small share of popularity. These old 
plants are unknown to the present-day gardeners, and when a speci¬ 
men is exhibited or some old collection is visited when the plants are 
flowering they attract as much attention as a novelty. This Goodia is 
not a sensational plant by any means, but it is well worth growing. 
The golden flowers, with a dash of red at the base of the “ standard,” 
are numerously borne, though comparatively small individually, and a 
well developed specimen is a useful occupant of a conservatory or 
