84 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ January 12, 1893. 
three months from the time of sowing, covers itself with blossom, and 
remains in beauty for a very long period. Gipsy Queen and Rosy Queen 
are a delightful pair, the former being conspicuous from its very dark 
foliage, and the latter for its very dwarf and compact habit, but both 
have charming flowers. Sutton’s Blue is of vigorous growth, has a flue 
truss, and possesses a lovely shade of colour. 
The doubles exhibit the same general qualities as the singles. 
They have been improved up to a point beyond which it is very difficult 
to get. if 11 the varieties are remarkable for their huge trusses of bloom 
and fine colours. Double Rose is particularly beautiful, its rosy blush 
or Miss Jolifife Carnation hue making it a universal favourite. D )uble 
Scarlet and Double Crimson are both exceedingly rich, and they have 
large, full flowers with which to display their brilliant colours to the 
best advantage. Double White and Double White Fern-leaved are both 
splendid varieties, having large, well-developed individual blossoms 
united in a handsome truss. Gem is also a charming Primula, its foliage 
alone rendering it attractive. In habit it is perfect, and the rosy flowers 
are borne lavishly. 
Besides those grown under name there are some beautiful crosses, the 
character of which cannot be satisfactorily fixed. These are sold as 
special mixed hybrids, and considering their distinct and meritorious 
character they ought to prove an investment of no small interest. In 
thus referring to the mixtures it may be well to note that the seed sold 
as such is in reality a mixture of the different varieties grown, not of 
the red and white alone. There is also a distinct moss-curled section 
growing up which in course of time is sure to be widely sought after. 
The plants have curled and cut moss or parsley-like leaves. 
An opportunity should be sought of making a personal inspection of 
what Messrs. Sutton have done and are still doing with Primulas at 
Reading. As the large collection is grown with a view to providing an 
effective display over a long period it is impossible to catch its full 
beauty at any one particular time, but at no period during the season 
can it be seen without a magnificent spectacle being admired. Cyclamens 
and Cinerarias (to which reference may be made on a future occasion) 
supplement it, and the three classes vie with each other in beauty and 
quality.—W. P. W. 
DISCUSSION ON POTATOES. 
Quality vtrsus Shallow-eyed Tubers. 
I HAVE in my day devoted considerable time in raising and culti¬ 
vating seedling Potatoes. I have always aimed at shallow-eyed tubers, 
but although I have several of them for years untouched with disease I 
never find a shallow-eyed Potato up to my standard of quality. The 
quality of Potato I prefer is a tuber that boils or cooks soft yet firm, and 
of a slightly sweet taste, and if the flesh is yellowish it is sure to be a 
Potato for the million. Give me quality first, then beauty, or in other 
words, I prefer Potatoes serviceable for the dinner table rather than the 
show board.—W. T., Blantyre, 
A Treat. 
Discussing the merits of Potatoes with an extensive grower of 
them, the question arose as to whether the good old sorts of long ago 
had really been superseded in quality. “ You don’t grow the old 
favourites now, I suppose?” quietly remarked my friend ; “ I will send 
you a few as a treat,” What will the modern men, the men up to date 
in Potato matters, think of his taste when I name the varieties—Dun¬ 
bar Regent, Lapstone, Fortyfold ? and what will they think of my taste 
also when I say the Potatoes were a treat indeed, and distinctly 
superior in texture and flavour to at least fifty more or less new 
varieties that were prepared by the same cook ? I should like to know 
of three others to beat them.— Pat Murphy. 
Yellow-fleshed Potatoes. 
I HAVE raised seedling Potatoes for more than half a century, and 
always found those having yellow-coloured flesh or skin the finest 
flavoured, unless the yellow tuber was a sport, in which case the flavour 
was inferior; but I can no more explain the reason of this than that 
yellow is otherwise an indication of quality and fine flavour. Like Mr. 
Eobt. Fenn, I strive for quality first, next for quantity, and lastly for 
appearance, then I make a strong effort to combine the three. I am 
sure I endorse the opinion of thoughtful persons in saying that there is 
too much pandering to the taste for showiness apart from edible and 
nutritive properties in Potatoes.—W. T,, Blantyre, 
The Best Varieties. 
I AGREE with Mr. Easty, page 5, as to the advisability of having a 
discussion on Potatoes as well as on Apples. The great thing in invoking 
discussion is to secure something like sequence or continuity, and to avoid 
rambling. We may discuss the merits of early and of late Potatoes, 
especially of varieties, also of frame and pot culture under glass ; then 
of best forms of planting and culture for early varieties and for late 
varieties, suitable manures, best varieties for exhibition, &c., and in that 
way cover very wide ground. Suppose we start by asking what are the 
best half dozen of first early varieties ? Of course these will be all 
white-skinned and largely kidney, although some may be of the round 
section. What difference of opinion will the naming of but half a dozen 
first earlies evoke. Very much will depend upon knowledge. Amongst 
the best, Laxton’s Early Short Top, mentioned by Mr. Easty, is one, a 
first-class variety for frame and pot culture or for close planting on 
warm borders. It is an oval kidney shape, walnut-leaf top, a remark¬ 
able cropper, and excellent quality. This has for two seasons at Chiswick 
proved to be one of the very best earlies. Albert Victor (Sharpe) every¬ 
one now knows of, and is one of the very best. Then King of the 
Earlies (Ridgewell) is, as was shown at Chiswick, a first-rate Ashleaf 
Kidney. It is a seedling variety, heavy cropper, and so far as has been 
seen of it, one of the best of the Ashleaf section. Guardian (Dean) is 
an early kidney not much known, but Mr. Lockie of Windsor can speak 
of it in very high terms as a first-class early kidney for warm soils. 
Ringleader (Sutton) is one of those good flavoured nutty flesh sorts 
that are so valuable for early work. It is a heavy cropper, and 
very early. Then Duke of Albany, otherwise White Beauty of Hebron, 
is a capital first early for borders or for small gardens and allot¬ 
ments. I prefer this Potato to Puritan, and think that no American 
kind excels it. 
Then, turning to second earlies, there are Suttons’ Seedling, and also 
their Early Regent, both delicious varieties and capital croppers, flattish 
round in shape, and very good form. Snowdrop is a kidney of such 
good reputation that it only needs mention. Snowball (Dean) is a 
short-topped handsome early round, that is specially good for garden 
culture. Fidler’s Prolific and Snow Queen are further two capital 
rounds in this section, both fine croppers and of great excellence. A 
midseason selection must include such fine varieties as the red Reading 
Russet, the purple The Dean, the white Schoolmaster, Covent Garden 
Perfection, Windsor Castle, and The Daniels, a very fine white kidney 
and a heavy cropper. 
Then, for a later or main crop selection there is our old friend 
Magnum Bonum, Buttons’ Satisfaction (a very fine flattish round). The 
Bruce, Reading Giant, Stourbridge Glory, and Chancellor. I think it 
will be found very difficult to beat this selection. 
It will be seen that I have gone far beyond my original suggestion, 
I and have mentioned twenty-four varieties, covering the entire year. There 
can be no doubt whatever but that to those engaged in Potato culture 
the subject is of extreme interest. In earlier days when I was engaged 
in raising new varieties and in growing them I naturally had my 
favourites. Now I have none whatever, and, therefore, can recommend 
any most impartially. I do, therefore, think that the twency-four 
varieties named can hardly be excelled for covering a long season, for 
general goodness of quality, or for abundant cropping. 
Were I about to select the best twenty-four for exhibition I should 
make considerable changes, as for instance, the first earlies would 
hardly be included, as exhibitions of Potatoes are rarely held early in 
the season ; whilst in the autumn many of the later varieties give much 
finer and handsome tubers. Taking the four sections of white round 
and white kidney, coloured round and coloured kidney in this order, I 
should give of the former six—viz., London Hero, Windsor Castle, 
Schoolmaster, Satisfaction, Prime Minister, and Snow Queen. Of 
white kidneys, eight—viz., Snowdrop, The Canon, Reading Giant, 
Supreme, Chancellor, Duke of Albany, Magnum Bonum, and Cosmo¬ 
politan. Of coloured rounds six—Reading Russet, King of the Russets, 
The Dean, Vicar of Laleham, Lord Tennyson, and Radstock Beauty ; 
and of coloured kidneys four—Beauty of Hebron, Reading Ruby, 
Edgcote Purple, and Mottled Beauty, a purple flaked Lapstone. 
1 have before me a list of some sixty varieties all recommended for 
exhibition. Whilst it is very obvious that such a list would only 
better anyone wishing to grow a couple of dozen sorts, it is equally 
certain that at least one-half are now seldom seen at exhibitions. Very 
many of the old show sorts are now regarded as comparatively small, 
or else of indifferent quality. So far as is possible, all these I have 
excluded from the latter list, even such a still highly favoured show 
variety as the old International, being excluded. Its place is now 
most worthily taken by the Canon. It is a matter of much importance 
that distinctness should be found in collections of Potatoes. Too much 
alike is often the complaint, and it was a marked cause for complaint 
at the great Earl’s Court Potato Show. Whilst of no special importance 
so far as mere eating varieties are concerned, it is of material con¬ 
sequence when Potatoes are exhibited in collections, and the Magnum 
Bonum type of kidney specially give trouble, and so also do the long 
flattish rounds, for these are so alike that some half dozen that have 
diverse names, but could all have been picked from the same sort, are 
often seen in the same collection. Coloured varieties are fewer, and 
are also more distinct; indeed there is hardly two of these that will be 
confounded one with another, except it be, perhaps. Beauty of Hebron 
j and White Elephant, and both these should now be tolerated in the 
same collection. Those who draw up schedules should insist upon 
absolute distinctness of character in the tubers of each variety shown 
being beyond doubt, and that may easily be secured, especially in the 
case of twelve varieties. Judges at small shows should never allow 
any one sort to be shown as both kidney and round, and in all cases 
should make distinctness of the first importance.—A. D. 
Soil and Varieties. 
The suggestion of Mr. Easty, page 5, is quite opportune. This 
vegetable is undoubtedly the most important of any. In all gardens, 
those of the rich especially, flavour in a Potato ought to be the first con¬ 
sideration ; but I am afraid it is not so, there is too much hankering 
after appearance. It is surprising how the quality of varieties change 
in various soils, what will be a success in one garden will be quite a 
failure in another. Heavy soils are the worst to deal with for Potato 
culture. Take, for instance, the variety Vicar of Laleham ; in light soil 
the tubers are of good quality, whereas in that of a heavy retentive 
