126 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ February 18, 1886. 
experience is limited should remove all decaying portions 
and others directly they show signs of decay when placed 
in heat. 
When Orchids are first imported light, heat, and moisture 
must be gradually admitted. The effect of strong light on 
the plants may easily be imagined after they have travelled 
a long journey confined in a dry case, for in this way only 
are they certain to arrive in good condition. Strong light 
combined with heat and moisture causes the plants to decay. 
Moisture should be most sparingly applied at first; in fact, 
any plant house if kept moderately dry will be suit¬ 
able at first without syringing. If subjected only to a 
moderate temperature with proportionate moisture in the 
atmosphere they become plump and start strongly into growth 
in due time. More imported plants are injured by the appli¬ 
cation of strong heat from the first than by any other 
cause. If they are forced into growth they are generally 
weak, and the plants are a long time before they produce 
pseudo-bulbs strong enough to flower. The secret of success 
in establishing imported Orchids is to start them gently as 
regards heat, and when they are progressing to help them in 
every possible way to make a sturdy compact growth. If 
the Orchids are in good condition when they arrive, and are 
well treated, then they will make strong growth the first 
season, which must be ripened, and the plants will advance 
the following season with increased strength.—S. 
POTATO PLANTING. 
The Potato is perhaps the easiest vegetable to grow to secure 
some sort of a crop, but to obtain fine and plentiful produce 
requires thought, observation, and care. The different varieties 
of Potatoes require very diverse treatment, and it is chiefly 
owing to the rough, and ready way of treating all alike that 
many growers differ in their estimates of varieties It is unwise 
to judge a Potato from one season's results, for with some varie¬ 
ties that have disappointed me the first season I have first-rate 
results the following year. For instance, a few years ago I paid 
a high price for a pound of a new variety, and took great care in 
the planting, giving them my best ground, only to obtain a small 
crop of anything but line tubers. I hastily resolved that the 
variety was worthless, and the following year after planting the 
others I roughly put these despised ones into a poor piece of 
ground in a corner and never troubled more until lifting time 
came, when I was surprised to find a fine crop of handsome 
Potatoes. 
I prefer a whole set to a cut one and as a rule I prefer rather 
large ones—the size of an egg; but here discrimination is 
required. Of weak growers I select large seed, and of such 
strong ones as Magnum Bonum tubers half the size of an egg 
are large enough. If required for exhibition one strong eye 
is quite sufficient to leave, and for a crop three, cutting the 
remaining eyes out. I usually slice a small piece off the heel 
also. . A friend of mine cuts all the crowns off his tubers, leaving 
the side eyes only, but I cannot recommend this practice, for i 
have tried it with anything but satisfactory results. 
In planting, if the soil is light I consider 6 inches the proper 
depth, but if heavy it is far better to draw a shallow drill to place 
the tubers in, drawing the soil from the sides to cover them. 
This will in wet weather keep the Potatoes high and dry and 
less liable to disease. When moulding up the season must be 
taken into consideration, for if very dry and hot, or promising to 
be so, it is best.to draw up as much soil as possible, and if showery 
a slight moulding is quite sufficient. 
If time and trouble can be afforded it is well to draw narrow 
trenches about 9 inches wide and 6 deep, p'acing the seed from 
15 to 18 inches apart, and a yard from row to row, then cover 
them with good leaf mould mixed with old mortar rubbish well 
pulverised, and a heavy dressing of the Aylesbury Native Guano, 
than which 1 know no better manure for Potatoes. I have tried 
it two seasons with most excellent results. It is more profitable 
to give Potatoes a yard from row to row, or even 4 feet to strong 
growers, than to crowd them in at 2 feet apart. They obtain 
plenty of sun to all the foliage and a good circulation of air just 
when they are growing well, and require these aids to fruitfulness, 
and a good crop of Broccoli, &c., can be obtained by putting out 
plants between the rows, thus leaving no ground unoccupied. 
Of varieties Sharpe’s Victor and Veitch’s Ashleaf are 
admirable for earliest crops, and the former is very useful in 
frames. To follow these Sharpe’s Duke of Albany and Match¬ 
less come in as second earlies, whilst for later crops I can very 
strongly recommend Sutton’s Reading Russet, Vicar of Laleham, 
and Snowdrop. All the above varieties are of high quality, good 
croppers, and in addition are all excellent for exhibition. 
I have grown over one hundred varieties, and I cannot surpass 
this selection, but if more are wanted for exhibition alone 
Porter’s Excelsior, International, and Feltham White are 
excellent for this purpose.—H. S. Easty. 
CHRYSANTHEMUMS AND THEIR CULTURE. 
( Continued from page 84 .) 
SOILS FOR FINAL POTTING. 
Much depends upon the soil used for potting Chrysanthemums 
to obtain successful results. More particularly does this apply to 
the final potting. Soils of a complex nature are often recommended, 
as if elaborate mixtures necessarily possess extraordinary virtues. 
Good soil is important, but at the same time is only one element 
in the case. Growers who depend almost solely on fanciful 
mixtures for the production of flowers of the finest quality have 
much to learn. The effects of the best compost that can possibly be 
obtained may be completely nullified by errors in watering and 
general management. Without using soil of a proper character 
success cannot follow, but the after treatment of the plants is the 
all-important part to be studied. As Chrysanthemums have such a 
short season of growth, and so much has to be done in a few 
months, they must have all the support they can appropriate, and 
to this end the composition of the soil is not of so much importance 
as after-feeding, The soil, then, while it contains food must be 
regarded as a store for additional food that is required and given 
from time to time, the store or larder all the time remaining sweet. 
It is a mistake to suppose that soil must be prepared and stacked 
for six or twelve months previous to using it, and I am glad to see 
that old practice is fast becoming obsolete. Soils differ so much 
in them nature and component parts in different parts of the 
country that no absolute rule can be laid down as to what mixture 
is the best. I will endeavour to make this part as clear as I can to 
suit the various localities, first describing the different ingredients 
used. 
Loam, as it is called, is composed of the top spit of an old 
pasture, cut in thickness according to the depth of the fibrous roots 
of the grass ; in some places 3 inches is not too deep, while in 
others 1 £ inch is enough according to the time the pasture has been 
laid down. It should be cut about three months previously to 
being used, or just long enough for the grass to decay, and prevent 
it growing through the surface in the pots. If the turf is light in 
character, and cut from where the land is of a sandy nature, ground 
oyster shells should be added, which have a portion of lime in them ; 
but if the turf is taken from a district where chalk and limestone 
abounds add more charcoal and wood ashes in lieu of oyster shells. 
Charcoal is of great assistance in keeping the whole soil porous and 
acting as a storehouse for ammonia. If the turf is of a retentive 
character remove the fine soil by means of sifting through a fine 
sieve, as this fine soil tends to prevent a quick passage of the water 
when applied copiously, as it must be during hot weather in 
summer. Those growers having a rather light soil at disposal are 
much more favoured than those with soil approaching clay, as 
where the former kind is used the moisture escapes from it quickly, 
consequently feeding can be more frequently and safely carried 
out; therefore due care should be given to making heavy soil 
lighter. 
Manure is the ingredient second in importance, and must be 
applied in some form or other. Well-decomposed cow manure is 
often recommended, such as falls to a powder when moved. This 
is wrong, because what beneficent properties can there possibly be 
in manure when decomposition has entirely taken place ? Simply 
the shell is left which held the goodness ; and it is the same with 
decomposed hotbed manure, as the violent heat caused by the mass 
during fermentation dissipated the ammonia, and it is the ammonia 
which should be preserved for the benefit of the plants. I do not 
approve of cow manure in any shape. I consider it injurious when 
used with soil of a heavy character, it being too close in nature, and 
far too binding with other parts. The best manure is that prepared 
as if for a Mushroom bed, excepting that the straw should be taken 
out. It is sweetened, yet most of the ammonia is retained. This 
is the best manure to employ for soils of both a light and heavy 
character. Fine ground bones, as well as dissolved bones, are also 
beneficial when used in proper quantities. Soot is a powerful and 
a beneficial agent when cautiously applied, but when used exces¬ 
sively it is most injurious. I have seen plants which had lost all 
their leaves and others presenting a very sickly appearance through 
the misuse of soot. Lime in a quick state is useful for the 
destruction of worms, the quantity used being in accordance with 
