April 1, 1886. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
249 
Ashleaf varieties, not very luxuriant, and on that account 
admitting of intercropping. Beauty of Hebron though a heavy 
cropper is not to he classed with a good cooking Potato, though 
it takes with rough-and-ready culture and its corresponding 
consumers, similar remarks applying to Early Rose. In light 
and not rich soils the two last are much better in quality than in 
rich soil, and the bulk given in some measure compensates for 
loss of quality, and the returns from the salesmen are relatively 
good. 
In late kidney Potatoes Magnum Bonum must take first 
position. It crops heavily, and is a good disease resister. Its 
quality is poor at best, but its cooking qualities are dependant in 
a great measure upon the soil. In light comparatively poor soils 
it attains a much better quality, and in many instances on hot 
sandy soils it is grown extensively and sent to market in succes¬ 
sion to tbe early and second early varieties. A desirable main 
crop kidney Potato long wanted appears likely to be forthcoming 
in Welford Park, but I think much more highly of Miss Fowler 
and Chancellor, the two last evidently good disease resisters, but 
I have not sufficient experience of any main or late kidney, those 
I have grown failing in some essential characteristic. 1 have 
omitted Lapstonc and its variety Yorkshire Hero, though for 
quality they are unsurpassed, also in cropping, but they are the 
worst of any for super-tubering and in liability to disease. 
Round Varieties.— Early varieties in this section must be 
set down as nil, for though we have Early Coldstream there is 
not one round early at all comparable with the early kidney 
varieties in cropping or any other quality, though Early Oxford 
finds some favour with growers. In second earlies there is not 
much to be said in favour of the round, as for some reason these 
do not mature so quickly as the kidney varieties. Sutton’s 
Early Regent is a capital succession to the early and second 
early kidneys ; it crops heavily and is in every respect excellent, 
cooking firm and floury. Dalmahoy also is a capital sort fur 
general use, and maybe classed as a second early. To the latter 
type we are likely to have some grand additions in Village Black¬ 
smith, a rough-skinned sort, sure indication of good cooking 
quality, and very productive; M.P. has a dwarf stout growth, 
crop heavy and very even in size—good useable fat fellows they 
are, as if they could not bear any small in their company, and 
the quality is good, improving with keeping, therefore is a main 
crop variety. Chiswick Favourite, with its strong haulm, ought 
to prove a great favourite alike with growers and consumers, but 
many novelties and certificated Potatoes, even tri il ones, prove 
unsatisfactory when subjected to the treatment of ordinary 
varieties Of the second early class London Hero, having a 
short haulm but spreiding, and affording a large crop of Hattish 
tubers, is promising, but for reasons above given I consider certi¬ 
ficates for Potatoes most misleading. 
Of main crop or late round varieties, Schoolmaster takes high 
place, but it does not succeed in all soils, it growing with me very 
coarse in rich light soil, and is very subject to disease. Reading 
Russet does better and is a good cropper of fair quality. 
Victoria also does badly with me through the land being rich, 
otherwise it is an excellent variety, and fine for the main crop. 
Reading Hero I find a great cropper, having large heavy tubers, 
which are of excellent quality, keeping in condition until the 
season is well advanced. Vicar of Lileham is a fine sort in the 
way of Skerry Blue, but is a seedling from Victoria, and though 
large in size and heavy in cropping is of first-rate quality. 
Dunbar Regent is unsurpassed as a late sort, cropping heavily, 
and suiting most soils. Scotch Champion need only be men¬ 
tioned through its suitability for wet soils where other sorts 
would not succeed nearly so well, but its quality, like all others, 
is best in a good ripening soil, though much is accomplished by 
keeping. Prime Minister has large tubers, handsome, as good in 
quality as looks, and remarkably free from disease. 
My selections are—early, Veitch’s Ashleaf and Cosmopolitan; 
second early, Covent Girden Perfection and Lapstone (for 
quality); late, Magnum Bonum and Chancellor. Round—second 
early, Early Regent and Village Blacksmith ; main crop, Victoria 
and Chiswick Favourite; late, Vicar of Laleham and Dunbar 
Regent. 
N.B.—Where two are named the first-named should be selected 
if one only is wanted.—U tilitarian. 
CHRYSANTHEMUMS AND THEIR CULTURE. 
( Continued, from 2 >age 217.) 
PYRAMIDS. 
Chrysanthemums represented in the form of pyramids are 
highly effective when well grown, neatly trained, and profusely 
flowered. So-called pyramids are often spoiled by cultivators 
attempting too much, and instead of their producing really credit¬ 
able examples of culture we see tall attenuated columns not half 
furnished. Though small free-flowering incurved varieties, such 
as the Rundle family, are amenable to this method of training, 
Pompons are the best, and when produced as represented in the 
engraving, which is from a photograph, they are certain to be 
admired. The specimen in question (Mdlle. Marthe) was grown 
and exhibited by Mr. A. Harding, and may be taken as an example 
of skilful culture. 
For perfecting good pyramids strong cuttings are inserted in 
November. The best possible growth is encouraged, and the 
Fig. 45.—Pompon Chr.smtlietnum. 
plants placed into their flowering pots (8 or 9-inch) by the end of 
May. The leading shoot is topped at about 9 inches, the best 
shoot following being taken as a leader again, the side branches 
trained out regularly. A wire hoop about 18 inches in diameter is 
fixed at the base of each plant, supported by two crossed Bticks 
affixed to the pot, a central stake of the requisite height being at 
the same time inserted. Smaller wires can be taken from the hoop 
to the top of the stake if desired ; but good pyramids may be 
formed without by a judicious arangement of the branches, securing 
them to the central stake and to each other. They must be topped 
as required for insuring a sufficiency of growths, the last 
time about the end of June in the case of the late-flowering 
varieties, the earlier sorts a fortnight or so later if all are desired to 
bloom at the saipe time. 
As above indicated it is a mistake to attempt to grow the plants 
too large, it being far better to confine them to a fair size, say 
