J'ebniary 11, 1893. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
105 
.Bexley, a gentleman well known in the horticultural world, as Chairman 
in succession to the late Mr. Deal. Mr. Hugh Low of Clapton was 
elected a member of the Committee, in the room of Mr. George Deal, 
deceased ; and Mr. A. W. G. Weeks of Chelsea, in the place of Mr. W. 
Hichards, deceased. The members of the Committee who retire by 
rotation are Messrs. Assbee. Cannell, Cummins, Gordon, Lane, Roupell, 
Hharman, and Wynne, and, being eligible, they all offer themselves for 
re-election. 
OA.SH STATEMENT, iJELY IST, 1890, TO DECEMBER 31 ST, 
(EIGHTEEN MONTHS). 
RECEIPTS. 
Vo Balance from last Account. 
„ Subscriptions, General 
„ Ditto collected by Local Secs. .. 
£359 10 6 
130 7 6 
1891 
£ s. d. 
807 8 11 
489 18 0 
•>* 
•»> 
If 
>» 
n 
Donations, General. 
Ditto collected by Local Secs. .. 
The George Deal Memorial .. .. 
The B. S. Williams Memorial 
General Card Collection. 
Crystal Palace F§te. 
Annual Dinner . 
Advertisements in List of Subscribers .. 
Miscellaneous Receipts . 
Dividends on Stock and interest on Deposit 
332 19 2 
117 4 2 
- 450 3 4 
.. 555 16 6 
.. 250 0 0 
.. 294 7 3 
.. .. 129 3 3 
.. .. 67 15 6 
.. .. 31 2 0 
.. 52 14 4 
.. 173 17 2 
£3302 6 3 
Note.—Investments, etc. 
2f per cent. Consols 
3 per cent. Canadian Stock 
On Deposit with Bankers 
£4056 
4 
7 
500 
0 
0 
£4556 
4 
7 
600 
0 
0 
£5156 
4 
7 
Expenditure. 
By Allowances to Orphans . 
„ General Card Collection. 
,, Crystal Palace FSte. 
„ Annual Dinner .. .. 
„ Printing List of Subscribers . 
„ Secretary’s Clerk. 
„ Printing and Stationery. 
„ General Meetings (two) and Election .. 
„ Hire of Rooms for Meeting . 
„ Postage . 
„ Bank Charges. 
„ Sundry Expenses (Petty Cash). 
Purchase of £517 8s. 9d. 2^ per cent. Stock 
„ Ditto £500 2| per cent. Stock 
„ On Deposit with Bankers. 
„ Balance at Bank . 
£78 15 0 
46 12 4 
16 12 7 
8 2 0 
23 0 0 
1 14 4 
14 11 4 
500 0 0 
475 0 6 
£ s. 
695 10 
44 5 
90 2 
54 1 
24 0 
189 7 
975 0 
600 0 
629 19 
d. 
0 
2 
3 
8 
0 
7 
6 
0 
1 
£3302 6 3 
Having inspected the Securities, and examined the Books and Vouchers supplied to 
as, we certify the above account to be correct. 
(Signed) JOHN FRASER, Lea Bridge ., ..) 
WM. SHARP, Chartered Accountant, > Auditors. 
6), Ctresham Street, E.C .) 
Dated January 18^1^, 1892. 
VEGETABLES FOR EXHIBITION. 
At the last fortnightly meeting of members of the Devon and 
Exeter Gardeners’ Association held at the Guildhall, Exeter, Mr. 
G. D. Cann, Hon. Secretary of the Exeter Horticultural Society, 
presided, and there was a good attendance. The subject for dis¬ 
cussion was ** How to Grow and Show Vegetables for Exhibition, 
a paper on that subject having been prepared by the Rev. 
A. H. Cruwys, Rector of Cruwys Morchard near Tiverton. It was 
looked forward to with much interest, as Mr. Cruwys is not only 
well known in the local gardening world as an expert in vegetable 
culture, but has often appeared at the Exeter flower shows as a 
successful competitor. In addition to this he has offered special 
prizes himself at local shows, with the view of raising the standard 
of quality in vegetables. Unfortunately, Mr. Cruwys medical 
advisers would not sanction his being out of doors in the evening, 
and Mr. Hope (Hon. Secretary) therefore, at the essayist’s request, 
read the paper as follows :— 
Having been asked by our Hon. Secretary, Mr. Hope, to give a 
paper on the cultivation of some vegetables for table and exhibi¬ 
tion, I have chosen for my subjects three—viz., the Potato, the 
Beetroot, and the Turnip, the cultivation of which I have made my 
especial study, and after much thought, care, and, I may add, 
frequent failure, have been able to bring to the h ghest state of 
cultivation. I trust my friends, the gardeners, will not think me 
presumptuous as an amateur, or in any way wishing to dictate to 
those who understand gardening and the cultivation of vegetables 
as well or better than I do. I can assure them this is not the case. 
But being so devoted to gardening and everything connected with 
it myself, and having made some classes of vegetables my chief 
speciality, I may be able to impart to some of them information 
that may be useful on the successful cultivation of vegetables for 
exhibition. 
The Potato. 
There is no class of vegetable that pays better for good cultiva¬ 
tion than the Potato, and, I may add, as a rule, no class that 
receives worse treatment. Now in these seasons of disease, when so 
much has been written, and so many experiments tried with little 
success, it is the duty of everyone to try in a measure to defy its 
ravages by good cultivation, by which I mean suitable soil carefully 
prepared, and good sound seed frequently changed. It does not 
matter whether the disease is caused by electricity in the air, bad 
soil, or the ravages of fungi, there it is. It shows itself a little 
earlier or a little later every year, generally after much rain, or 
close foggy weather, and one thing is certain, that the most careless 
growers suffer most from its attacks. It is truly lamentable to see 
how some growers seem to invite the disease, rather than try to 
keep it off. Take a walk in the country at planting time ; you 
will see one man has selected his ground in the corner of a field, in 
which the soil is wet, and too poor to grow either com or roots. 
The Potato cave, which has never been looked at since storing 
time, is opened, and a tangled mass of seed all grown together is 
exposed, and the weakly white sprouts are rubbed off. Is not this 
one step towards ruin, disease, and failure ? Yet this is the method 
pursued and the sort of seed sown in many, many a plot and field, 
and which is expected to produce a good crop ! There are many, 
however, who have learned the value of good cultivation, and who 
on a good, dry, sharp soil, or, better still, old brake ground, well 
manured the previous autumn, and planted with seed that has been 
thinly spread all the winter, and slightly sprouted, will grow a 
fairly sound crop in any season. 
Time, for Planting ,—Opinions differ as to the best time for 
planting the main crop. Some think that should the weather be 
suitable, and the ground in working condition, that the middle of 
February is a good time, in order to allow a long season of growth 
before the disease appears. Others make it a rule to plant as near 
Lady Day as possible. I am led to the conclusion, after many 
years’ experience, that there is no better time than the second week 
in April, for I think that the soil, being pulverised by the dry 
March winds, and heated by the April sun, is in a better condition 
to receive the seed, which will then start into growth at once, go 
on at express speed, and be ready to lift at the same time as those 
planted in February or March, and which have lain in the ground 
for weeks doing nothing, and exposed to the ravages of slugs, grub, 
and other pests. ... 
Gtowing fov Exhibition .—In growing Potatoes for exhibition two 
points are essential—viz., a warm situation and carefully prepared 
soil, which should consist of peat, loam, vegetable ash, and sea sand. 
The ground should be manured in autumn, deeply trenched, and 
left rough, or in ridges, all the winter. About the middle of March 
a little fresh lime should be forked into the soil to kill the slugs 
and worms, and if the wireworm is troublesome (as it generally is 
in light soil) a sprinkling of salt and soot may be added. Potatoes 
for exhibition should be planted about the middle of April, as they 
are then likely to escape the early May frosts, and, in case there are 
any very choice sorts to be grown, it is well to place a few in boxes 
half filled with earth, and let them form roots in order to replace 
any that from any cause have failed or been touched by frost. It 
must be remembered that when the first growth is cut down by 
frost exhibition tubers must not be expected. For strong growing 
varieties the drills should be made 20 inches apart and the seed 
planted 14 inches apart. This will let plenty of sun and air into 
them. Cut the sets from the crown with two eyes, not more, plant 
5 inches deep, and as soon as the growth appears fork lightly 
between the drills, and continue to do so once a week until the 
fibres begin to run. Do not mould up in the usual way, but simply 
draw a little earth on each side of the drills, for it must be remem¬ 
bered that the tubers require plenty of sun and air to ripen well, 
as a proof of which the largest and best ripped tubers are found 
nearest the surface. Any exhibitor who wiU take the trouble to 
grow his Potatoes after the manner I have described will not be 
disappointed. , , , 
Lifting the Urop.—Two or three days before the Potatoes are 
wanted for exhibition lift them very carefully with a five-pronged 
fork and be very careful not to rub off the smallest bit of skin, or 
the tubers will be spoilt for exhibition. Having selected the 
number required (and a few in reserve in case of accident) expose 
them to the sun for an hour, turning them once, then wrap each 
tuber in paper, and place it in the dark until wanted. Should the 
weather be dry at the time of lifting, little or no washing will be 
required ; indeed the tubers will look better without it, for they 
will be quite clean if grown in prepared soil such as I have 
described. In selecting samples for exhibition (if highest quality 
is aimed at) choose tubers weighing about half a pound, and no 
more, over that weight they become coarse as a rule, it must be 
