522 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER, 
[ December 9,1888. 
pedition of 1586,” describing the voyage generally and' the places 
calhd at. 
“ The Cultivation of the Potato by the Incas and other Andean 
Nations” was the subject of an exceedingly interesting paper, admirably 
read by Mr. Clements Markham, and was in all respects one of the best of 
the series, displaying a wonderful amount of careful research in dealing 
with a subject of almost romantic interest. In preparing this Mr. Mark¬ 
ham no doubt resorted freely to the principal work of reference on the 
history and civilisation of Peru at the time of the Spanish conquest— 
namely, the “ Commentaries Reales ” of Garcilasso de la Yega, which were 
published in two parts in 1609 and 1617, and translated into English in 1688 
by Sir Paul Rycaut. GarciLsso’s mother was the niece of Huayna Capac, 
one of the Royal Inca line, and had every means of becoming fam'liar with 
all the peculiarities of Peruvian civilisation, thus, with some allowances for 
exaggeration, rendering his work the most complete of its kind. Many 
references are given to the book, and a resume of its leading features in 
Prescott’s “ Conquest of Peru,” the latter author remarking, concerning 
Rycaut’s translation, that 11 It contains as many blunders as paragraphs, aud 
most of them such as might shame a schoolboy.” From these works, and a 
few records of the early travellers, are obtained the principal facts relating 
to the Peruvian history of the Potato. This was reviewed by Mr. Mark¬ 
ham in a very clear manner. The original home of the Potato was the 
cordilleras of the Andes in South America, and it appeared to have been 
there cultivated for a great time over a space of 2000 to 3000 miles. Naturally 
this rendered it very difficult to determine the exact localities where 
Potatoes were really wild, as so many might be found as escapes from culti¬ 
vation. It was found by the Spanish invaders as a cultivated plant in the 
kingdom of the Cbibchas in the province of Quito, and from there through 
Peru to Chili. The Chibcha language is now extinct, but vocabularies have 
been preserved, and from these it appears that several varieties of Potato 
were grown under different names, indicating characters of size, colour, and 
qualit}'. A very full account of the physical geography and system of 
government in these regions was also given by the lecturer, who was highly 
complimented by Mr. Carruthers and others at the conclusion of his ex¬ 
cellent address. It might be added that Prescott deduces from the various 
authorities he consulted the facts that, “Whether indigenous to Peru, or 
imported from the neighbouring country of Chili, the Potato formed the 
staple of the more elevated plains under the Incas, and its culture was con¬ 
tinued to a height in the equatorial regions which reached miny thousand 
feet above the limits of perpetual snow in the temperate latitudes of Europe. 
Wild specimens of the vegetable might be seen still higher, springing up 
spontaneously amidst the stunted shrubs that clothed the lofty sides of the 
Cordilleras, till these gradually subsided into the masses and the short 
yellow grass, which, like a golden carpet, was unrolled around the base of 
the mighty cones that rose far into the regions of eternal silence, covered 
with snow of centuries.” Although tuber-bearing species of Solanum are 
found wild in Mexico, it appears, according to the best authorities, that the 
Potato proper was unknown in Mexico at the time the Spanish first visited 
the country, and Humboldt has expressed his opinion that the Potatoes 
supposed to have been cultivated in Virginia were probably derived from 
the earlier and more southern Spanish settlements. 
In dealing with the “ distinct wild species of Solanum as at present 
recognised,” Mr, J. G. Baker of K-w gave a summary with a few slight 
modifications of the paper he contributed some time since to the Linnean 
Society’s Journal. He classified the thirty or more wild forms known 
under five typsB—S. tuberosum, S. Commersoni, S. cardiophyllum, S. 
Jamesi, and 8. oxycarpum. These he considered might be accepted as 
species in a broad sense, the numerous other forms (most of which had been 
named and described as species) being ranged under these tj^pes. Of the 
S. tuberosum type there are sixteen so-called species, the principal of which 
was the Chilian S. Maglia, which is found in low moist regions on the coast, 
a similar form being discovered by Darwin in the Chonos Archipelago. 
The other types and their principal varieties were referred to briefly, Mr. 
Baker remarking that it was by no means certain whether S. tuberosum is 
really an original type or the cultivated product of some other wild form. 
The whole subject was a difficult one, and he wished someone would pre¬ 
pare an exhaustive monograph of the tuber-bearing Solanum*. He con- 
c'uded with some very complimentary remarks on the preceding paper, and 
stated that “ a new era in the history of the Potato had been inaugurated 
by Mr. Markham’s contribution.” It may be observed that in the review of 
tuberous Solanums from Mr. Baker’s pen in the Linnean Society’s Journal 
six distinct species or typ“s are named, S. Maglia being there classed with 
the five already named ; but it would seem from the remarks made at the 
meeting under notice that he has ceased to give it so high a rank, simply 
distinguishing it as a form of S. tuberosum. 
After a short adjournment another meeting was held in the afternoon, 
at which Mr. J. G. Baker presided, Earl Oathcart being also present. Mr. 
G. Murray gave a very lucid description of the Potato disease (Peronospora 
infestans), illustrated by some canital diagrams. He briefly traced the 
history of the fungus as far it was known, referring to its first appearance 
on the Continent, and then in England in 1845, when it rapidly produced 
such destructive effects upon the Potato crop. The structure and growth 
of the fungus were then noted, and it was stated that from careful experi¬ 
ments and observations recently made it was found that if the conditions 
were favourable only thr e hours elapsed from the time a spore fell upon a 
Potato leaf until the perfect fungus was formed, and spores again produced, 
thus accounting for tbe rapid spread of the disease. Experiments had been 
tried to test the spread of the Bpores by placing glass slides covered with 
glycerine on the lee side of fields where Potatoes were infested with this 
fungus, and in a short time, when a brisk breeze was blowing, innumerable 
spores bad been thus caught. (Earl Cathcart also subsequently stated that 
by similar experiments he had found that the spo es extended to the height 
of 30 or 40 feet.) Mr. Murray did not think that the Jensenian system of 
farthing up would prove efficacious in preventing disease, and in his opinion 
it was communicated by the mycelium passing down through the substance 
of the stem to tbe tubers. Earl Cathcart thought that the liability to the 
disease was chiefly owing to degeneracy caused by over-cultivation, and it 
had been proved that hitherto no variety of Potato had resisted the disease 
f ,r twenty years. A paper on the “Introduction of the Potato into 
France,” read in excellent English by M. Henri Vilmorin of Ta-is, and 
votes of thanks to the Chairman, brought the day’s proceedings to a 
close. 
The audience on Friday was even smaller than on the previous day, 
although the subjects were of a practical nature that it was thought would 
have induced a better attendance. Mr. W. S. Mitchell presided, Earl 
Cathcart being again present, the first address being on “Tbe Production 
of Varieties by Cultivation,” by Dr. M. T. Masters, F.R.S. This was com¬ 
menced with an apology for the brevity and incompleteness of the paper, 
owing to the short notice given for its preparation. Dr. Masters then pro¬ 
ceeded to lament the way in which practical men neglect science, and gave 
as one illustration of this the loose nomenclature adopted with regard to the 
fruit of the Potato, which is generally called the Potato plum or Potato 
apple, when everyone knows that Apples and Plums are so very different. 
As another example, he allud-d to the result of the prizes offered some years 
ago for the best e?say on the mode of preventing the Potato disease. He then 
referred to the modes of poiucing varieties of Potatoes, taking first what 
he considered the principal method employed by cultivators—namely, the 
selection of tubers. Next came cross-breeding—namely, the fertilisation of 
one variety with the pollen of another, which was frequently erroneously 
termed hybridising. Third, true hybridisation—namely, the cross-fertilisa¬ 
tion of one acknowledged species with another of similar rank. As a fourth 
means grafting was noticed as a possible mode of increasing varieties. Mr. 
Alexander Dean, in reply to Dr. Masters, said that it might be true that 
some practical men neglect the teachings of science too much, but it was 
quite certain that the scientists were equally neglectful of the practical 
men, and yet to these science often owed a large debt. He was always 
willing to learn anything that was beneficial, and if Potato apple and 
Potato plum were wrong he would be content henceforth to use the term 
“ Potato berry,” but it seemed to him that any term generally in use and 
understood was preferable to one that was not so well known. As to the 
essay competition mentioned, he believed that at the time scientific men 
knew very little more about the Potato fungus than the gardeners who 
competed. With regard to procuring varieties of Potatoes by selection he 
had never heard of the practice, and although himself a Potato-raiser, he 
did not remember one variety which had been so obtained. Cross-br eding was 
the only successful means, and in that way probably 1000 varieties had been 
reared from seed. There are now so many good varieties in cultivation that 
he did not think there was much room for improvement, except in finding 
disease-proof sorts. He had tried grafting, but did not find the results 
satisfactory, and he was convinced that nothing of importance was to be 
expected in that direction. Mr. Arthur Sutton said he had never known 
new varieties of Potatoes to be raised by selecting the tubers. Dr. Masters 
was surprised that this method was not the principal one adopted, but sup¬ 
posed that in any case selection would be beneficial in maintaining the 
character of varieties. Mr. W. Earley remarked that selection was undoubt¬ 
edly advantageous in this way, but u-eless for the purpose originally 
suggested. Mr. R. Dean thought extensive experiments in hybridising 
might be undertaken at Kew, but he understood it would be difficult to 
accomplish satisfactorily. Mr. Ap-Thomas, who had res ded in Peru for a 
long period, made a few remarks upon the Potatoes there cultivated, stating 
that three varieties were principally grown from the coast up to 8000 feet 
elevation. The Yellow Potato was the principal, and this he had tried in 
Wales. He had never seen or heard of the Potato disease in Peru. 
“ The Cultivation of the Potato,” by Mr. R. Dean, was the next paper, 
and it treated in a succinct manner the principal points of the subject. Re¬ 
ferring to the propagation for exhibition, he stated that a very successful 
grower always adopted the following method. Of weak varieties the best 
tubers only were selected, all the eyes but one being removed; of medium 
varieties, medium-sized tubers were selected, retaining only one eye; of 
strong varieties, medium tubers were chosen, but these were cut in two sets, 
each having one eye. He did not believe in the degeneracy of the Potato, 
as by well selected tubers it was easy to maintain the character of varieties. 
As an example of degeneracy, he mentioned the Bedfordshire Onion, which 
had been gradually deteriorating because the best had been continually sent 
to market. The tubers for field culture were often turned several times 
and the eyes repeatedly rubbed off, this also having an injurious effect. A 
good de p soil is necessary for the successful culture of the Potato, choosing 
land where manure was applied for a crop of any kind that is cleared off in 
autumn. This should be well dug and exposed to the air, better crops being 
obtained from such land than if the digging is left to the spring. No rank 
manure should be used at the time of planting, but capital crops had been 
secur d from ground occupied with Celery the previous season. Failures in 
field culture are largely due to shallow ploughing; deep tillage is very 
necessary, improving heavy soils by burning or mixing it with ballast. He 
instanced the White Rock Potatoes f om Youghal, Co. Cork, grown by the 
peasantry year after year on the same ground, as showing degeneracy in its 
worst form. Earthing in garden culture should be done carefully, and 
though the Jensenian system may not prevent disease, deep covering is 
ben ficial to many varieties. It was mention’d incidentally that of 146 
varieties sold by Pet-r Lawson & Co. 50 years, scarcely one remains in culture. 
Mr. Alexander Dean read an interesting paper on “ Raising New Varieties 
of Potato,” in which he referred only to the production of new forms by 
cross-breeding. He commented on the difficulty of obtaining pollen, as 
comparatively few yielded it in abundance, and some were quite sterile. 
Several experiments and crosses were d etailed which had resulted in obtain¬ 
ing novelties that have secured high honours. Mr. Fenn’s efforts to produce 
a race of fine quality were noticed approvingly, and Mr. Dean thought 
some of these had never been excelled. Mr. W. Earley gave a few practical 
observations “ On the Advantage of Early Lifting as a Prevention of 
Disease,” which he illustrated by some fine sound tubers he had grown and 
treated in this way, when others left in the ground were destroyed by the 
disease. 
The meeting concluded with a proposal that a Potato Society might be 
formed as one result of the Tercentenary gathering, but it was ruled by the 
Chairman that the matter could not be considered then, and if it were de¬ 
sirable it might be discussed in the columns of the Horticultural Press. 
A SELECTION OF FLOWER SEEDS. 
Acacia lophantha is a useful plant both for room decoration and 
sub-tropical bedding ; the seed should be well soaked before sowing 
