February 9, 1893, ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDE NEIL 
105 
W E have been somewhat interested in a communication that 
we feel constrained to “ bring to the front ” from one 
of the old juveniles of the horticultural world—Mr. Robert 
Fenn of Snlhamstead. A warm-hearted example of a son oE 
the spade and the pen is the writer of the notes in question. 
A curious mixture of pessimism and optimism appears to run 
through them, backed by a barrier of as fine crusted old Con¬ 
servatism in social life and habits as the most loudly proclaiming 
“ lover of his country ” could wish to see. Yet, paradoxical as 
it may seem, this “yin du siecle Englishman,” as he styles 
himself, claims to be in advance of all our modern reformers in 
having done years ago what they are trying to do now by 
lectures and cognate schemes, some of them, he would have us 
believe, working wrong end upwards. Perhaps he may be right, 
for there appears to be a tendency of desire on the part of at 
least some ardent aspirants to reach the top of the ladder in 
some more quick and easy way than in steadily climbing from 
the bottom. There is hidden wisdom in those references, and 
both lecturers and workers may do worse than ponder over them. 
They mean “ begin at the bottom and work steadily ‘ upwards 
and onwards,’ as I have done through years of persevering 
endeavour, and win by your labour as I have done a ‘ holding ’ 
that practically gives me all I need (except sugar) and makes 
me independent of the foreigner and all his works and wares.” 
A happy position truly, a well won arcadian home ; but there 
is a tinge of sorrow in his letter. It seems to suggest as if the 
writer had outlived his time and his friends, and that he feels a 
little deserted. He has, thanks to a well-spent healthy outdoor 
active life in work he loves, outlived many ; but many remain, and 
not a few of these would bo glad if they could more frequently 
share his boundless hospitality and cheery companionship, even 
for a few hours during Potato time. We know that this is so ; 
but some of the ancients move slowly. They can no longer fly 
hither and thither in frisk Fennian fashion, as they would like. 
Let, then, this, the friskiest of them all, be thankful that he is not 
as those other men are ; but rest in the assurance that they rejoice 
in his strength and appreciate his work. But he has admirers 
whom he has not seen. Said one the other day, “ If there is one 
man above all others I should like to see at home, he is Robert 
Fenn—the great herbaceous perennial I call him, who seems to die 
down for a while, then spring up as strong as ever.” “ Well,” was 
the response, “ if we are all well next July you shall see him.” 
And so the compact was made; and when our old friend sees his 
new one there will be an interchange of broad smiles and hearty 
greetings, to be followed by “something in the Journal” from a 
master in the art of husbandry and vivid description. And now, 
Mr. Fenn, be easy—at least, as easy as you can, and wonder who 
your new friend can be ; but in the meantime please step forward, 
and tell your mixed story to the world. 
I have several things to say, but first I feel it has become due 
for me to write my experience of last season in respect to the anti¬ 
blight powder and Potatoes. I did not experiment with it so 
extensively as in 1891, and the crops that were operated upon I 
limited to garden culture, therefore I would refer to issues of the 
Journal of Horticulture for September 22nd, and September 17th, 
No. 659. —VoL. XXVI., Third Series. 
1891, where my doings are commented upon by visiting friends. I 
consider my.self as having been “ sent to Coventry ” in 1892, I was 
left so severely alone. Local people are very difficult to convince 
in the cases of anything new ; for instance, in a conversation with 
an estate agent, I happened to mention my then proceedings with 
the anti-blight powder, and I invited him to come and see the 
proofs of its action upon my Potatoes. He answered me, with a 
hauteur sufficient for an emperor, that “nobody could ever make him 
believe that any squirtings with mixtures or puffings with powders 
would prevent the Potato disease.” Probably this gentleman 
comes in contact with farmers or other cultivators of the soil on 
moat days, and should their conversations take a turn like mine, of 
course a jump at conclusions would be the same. “ A right one, 
too,” you may think, for farmers, who usually cultivate those large 
coarse varieties chiefly for saleable market purposes, caring nothing 
for quality. Those thick-skinned giants can take no disease worth 
mentioning, and the game would not be worth the candle to recom¬ 
mend the anti-blights for their field culture. However, it is not 
for them that I write. Magnum Bonum is still the most gentle¬ 
manly of their type, but, begging its pardon, I do not consider it a 
suitable garden variety. 
It may be asked, “ Then what do constitute a gentleman’s or 
garden Potato ? ” I will answer, “ Fenn’s seedlings,” and I think 
I write so for the first time. But it is becoming the end of the 
century to blow one’s own trumpet. Then let the sound go 
forth. Sutton’s Ringleader, Early Border, Lady Truscott, Rector 
of Woodstock, Woodstock Kidney, and Fifty-fold are six garden 
Potatoes (relieving the ground for second cropping) of the highest 
merit from any kind of soil. All of them excepting the first 
(that is a cross with my English pedigree stock and the true 
American Snowflake) are studied results from best English kinds, 
not to be procured now for love or money ; varieties crossed and 
re-crossed, and the blood of them, so to speak, handed down without 
a haphazard break through a long series of years. The above are 
quite enough for any parlour purposes, and there is none that 
can be grown having higher table qualities, or that contains equal 
sustaining powers ; and now, thanks to Tait & Buchanan’s Anti- 
Potato Blight Powder, I can keep them perfectly free from disease 
if constantly dusted, so as to allow no loopholes upon the foliage, 
for the fatal spores to take possession. I had the above 
varieties along with other of my newer seedlings grown purposely 
in the garden for testing the powder. Not a leaf took the spot, 
nor did a single tuber become diseased ; and what is more, I had 
the store tubers overhauled purposely last week to give the latest 
tone for this call, and to find an entire bill of health. “ Not an 
unsound Potato amongst them,” which cannot be claimed for 
those which were not operated upon, either in their growth or 
afterwards. 
Now, what am I to conclude from this V I should have been 
pleased for you and your scientific people to have come and 
witnessed the results, as well as other foremost men of light and 
leading now amongst you, who at one time of day would not have 
wanted pressing. I seem to consider the above application of 
far more importance to horticulturists than the sloppy mixtures, 
unless peradventure the wet can be subtilely dispersed in the guise 
of dew. I think I have improved upon the Malbec bellows more 
simply in regard to the application for Potatoes—viz.. Procure a 
fine hair sieve, or horse’s-bait sieve, with a piece of fine muslin 
secured upon the wickerwork mesh, first having fastened a forked 
stick to the bottom, allowing a sufficiency of stem to serve for a 
handle ; suspend the sieve by the left hand over the Potato haulm, 
walk rapidly by the side of the row, and keep tapping the rim or 
side of the sieve with a short piece of stick, and please yourself 
whether to perform so again, or with the bellows. I never rode 
post for a patent, so there you are. 
I have other reasons why I should have liked to receive a 
visit from you men of mark last season, because much advice is 
No. 2315.—VoL. LXXXVIII., Old Series. 
