October 15, 1885. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
381 
15 
th 
Sale of Bulbs at Protheroe’a Rooms, Cheapside. 
16 
F 
17 
s 
18 
SUN 
Twentieth SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. 
19 
M 
Sale of Bulbs at Stevens’ Rooms, Covent Garden. 
20 
TU 
21 
W 
Bear Congress at Chiswick to November 4th. 
POTATOES. 
LTHOUGH the Potato is beyond question the 
most important of all root crops, a greater amount 
of ignorance prevails concerning it than any 
other crop of the garden or the farm, not ignor¬ 
ance in culture, which has much improved of 
late, but ignorance on the character and quali¬ 
ties of the greater number of the varieties that 
are now in commerce, and many of which have 
become prominent by the mention of their names 
in prize collections at exhibitions. No doubt there are indi¬ 
viduals who know all about these—their habits of growth, 
cropping, quality when cooked, and the period at which they 
are ready for lifting; but the general public, that is, the 
great majority of Potato growers, do not, and it does not 
appear to enter into the minds of those who are competent to 
impart information to enlighten on the very plain yet deci¬ 
dedly important points indicated. 
It appears to be taken for granted that “ everybody knows 
all about ” such now popular varieties (for exhibiting at least) 
as Adirondack, Yicar of Laleham, Cosmopolitan, Heading 
Eusset, Snowdrop, Edgecote Purple, The Dean, Prizetaker, 
and some others that appear to be included in most collec¬ 
tions in which they can be staged; but so far from all gar¬ 
deners even, not to say amateurs, being acquainted with 
what may be termed the fashionable sorts, they know prac¬ 
tically nothing about them, and there are thousands of per¬ 
sons who would receive gladly such knowledge as is possessed 
by experts if they should not consider it beneath them to 
convey rudimentary instruction to the inexperienced. By 
experts is meant persons who have cultivated the several 
varieties whose names are familiar, and who are intimately 
acquainted with their habits and properties. 
It is true that a practice has become established of culti¬ 
vating and cooking new varieties in the Eoyal Horticultural 
Society’s Gardens at Chiswick before they are considered 
eligible for receiving certificates of merit at the International 
Potato Exhibition, that has now become an event of the year. 
It is impossible to speak too highly of the excellence of that 
plan, and the reports that are published are valuable, as the 
character of the tubers of each variety, its productiveness 
and quality, are indicated with sufficient precision to be com¬ 
prehended by most persons; but something more appears to 
be needed to render the reports complete. For practical 
purposes it is not only important to know whether the varieties 
are dwarf, medium, or strong in growth, but much more so to 
be acquainted with the period at which the crops are ready 
for lifting, say July, August, or later. In the case of some 
varieties an idea is given as to their habit of growth, but that 
point is by no means made clear with the whole of them, and 
it is very rare indeed that the period of ripening is mentioned 
at all. Yet this is exactly what intending cultivators want 
to know. 
The questions that are asked in respect of new varieties 
are, “ Are they good and heavy croppers ? what height do 
they grow ? and what time are they ready for digging ?” 
No. 277. —Yon. XI., Third Series. 
Knowledge as to the approximate height is necessary for 
determining the distance of planting in order that justice 
may be done to the varieties without wasting ground, and 
information as to the time of ripening is not less required for 
determining the positions, so as not to interfere with after¬ 
cropping. In gardens in which land for growing Potatoes 
and other vegetables is limited it is quite as important to 
know when crops will be ready for removal as it is to know 
when they should be inserted ; and in point of fact, far 
more mistakes are made through ignorance of the former 
point than the latter. An instance may be given, and when 
one is seen and recorded dozens of a similar character occur, 
but are not publicly alluded to. A gardener being satisfied 
about the general good qualities of Eeading Russet and 
Reading Hero planted a border with them last spring, on the 
assumption that the ground would be vacated in time for 
sowing with winter Spinach, the demand for which is con¬ 
siderable. He has been disappointed. The first-named 
variety ripened soon enough—indeed, sooner than was 
expected; but the Hero continued growing so long that it 
became a question as to sacrificing the crop of it or having 
only half a supply of Spinach, and the latter course was 
adopted, with what results time alone can prove. The 
gardener has chosen what he considers the lesser of two 
evils, and while he says he expects to be “ much bothered,” 
he hopes to “ get over it.” This may appear a trifling 
matter, but what may be trivial in one case is often serious 
in another, and it is certainly very desirable that cultivators 
should know when the ground occupied with Potatoes will be 
at liberty for a succeeding crop. 
For years I have been engaged where Potatoes are grown 
as extensively and perhaps as well as in any other district 
in the kingdom. The growers, though relying mainly on 
sorts of proved usefulness, are yet greatly interested in what 
is being done in raising new varieties, and over and over 
again I have had questions put to me respecting them that 
I could not answer, because I have not yet been able to try 
a great number of newer varieties, while those who have 
grown them have not perceived the necessity of giving full 
and plain information respecting them, on the ground, pro¬ 
bably, that it is not needed. That is a mistake, and the 
plainer the subject the greater is the need for precise instruc¬ 
tion, because what are regarded as simple matters are on 
that rery account so apt to be overlooked. 
With the object of becoming acquainted with some of the 
newer and most popular Potatoes I visited the great Show at 
the Crystal Palace last week, and noted jthe varieties above 
named were very numerous and fine, but when asked to 
describe their habits and season of ripening I am not able to 
do so. Are they, or any of them, likely to be more profitable 
to grow than Myatt’s, Regents, and Magnum Bonums ? 
That is what many persons desire to know. There is no 
doubt a great deal of pleasure derived from growing a number 
of varieties that may not be of value save for exhibition. It 
is very far from my desire to seek to deprive anyone of the 
enjoyment of growing such varieties for that purpose alone, 
or for raising seedlings, and thus adding to the bewildering 
number of sorts; but as, after all, Potatoes, broadly con¬ 
sidered, are grown to be eaten, it seems important that the 
peculiar characteristics of the fancy sorts should be made 
clear to all, and it should never be forgotten that it is the 
most ignorant who are most in need of instruction. 
But though some varieties may be grown for their appear¬ 
ance alone, productiveness with quality are now recognised 
as the chief essentials, as it is observable that only those which 
were accorded three marks each for those properties in the 
Chiswick trials were honoured with certificates at the Exhi¬ 
bition ; and in future it may be taken for granted that new 
varieties thus honoured will possess sterling merit for com¬ 
mercial purposes, but some time must necessarily elapse 
before they can be increased sufficiently to enable their being 
sold at such prices that they can be cultivated on a large 
No. 1933.— Yol. LXXIII., Old Series. 
