268 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ October 3, 1889. 
but in referring to the improvements in Potatoes during the past twenty- 
five years it would be impossible to omit reference to a variety which 
has proved to be so important a factor in the work of disease-resisting, 
and practically of conquering. Raised from the seed produce of the 
Early Rose, assumedly crossed with the Victoria—a once famous Potato, 
but now rarely met with—by Mr. Clark of Christchurch, it became so 
widely known and grown in a few years that probably it made more 
noise than any other Potato ever introduced to commerce. Fortunately 
for Mr. Clark and the community tubers of it and other varieties were 
sent to that once famous trial ground at Stoke Newington, over which 
Mr. Shirley Hibberd was the presiding genius ; and so much was that 
gentleman taken with the variety that he introduced it to the Messrs. 
Sutton & Sons of Reading, who purchased the stock. 
But even in raising a variety which presented so formidable a barrier 
to the progress of Potato disease there were not wanting critics who 
railed at its quality. If half a loaf be better than no bread surely a 
whole one is better still, and that much did Magnum Bonum give to 
myriads of Potato consumers, to whom in previous years the tender old 
kinds of Potatoes, under the deadly effects of the disease, gave no loaf 
whatever. It is, however, worthy of remark that in spite of the critics 
the Magnum Bonum is more largely eaten now than any other Potato. 
But having found so admirable a barrier against the tide of fungoid 
decay, raisers have not been slow to take advantage of it for the pur¬ 
pose of producing many other disease-resisting kinds, and possibly of 
much superior quality. We have now not one but a wealth of disease- 
resisters, and because of them have such an abundance of Potatoes 
that they can hardly be disposed of at any price. Really the salvation 
of the Potato and of the consumer has been the ruin almost of the 
trade, for with stocks so plentiful few want to purchase, and trade is 
almost unprofitable to growers. 
Why, in the old disease days, before Magnum Bonum and other fine 
sorts came to our aid, we imported thousands of tons of Potatoes during 
the winter months from Germany, Belgium, and elsewhere. That trade 
has been entirely suspended, for the excellent reason that we grow 
plenty of Potatoes at home, not only for our consumption, but have an 
abundance to spare. It is true we import large quantities of early 
Potatoes from France, the Channel Islands, &c., but their consumption 
in preference to good home-grown old tubers displays a sadly vitiated 
taste, as in most cases they are more fit for pigs than for intelligent 
men. Mr. C. Fidler of Reading has informed me that the average price 
of Potatoes now in the market is fully thirty to forty per cent, lower 
than it was ten years ago, a fact which speaks volumes for the wonder¬ 
ful development of Potato production, the result of the possession of 
numerous disease-resisting varieties. 
The following list of sorts affords some evidence of the change 
which has been effected in Potatoes within the Dast comparatively few 
years :—Beauty of Hebron and its white variety, Webber’s White 
Beauty, a distinct early sort; Sutton’s Early White Kidney, Seedling, 
Satisfaction, and Abundance, all robust and great croppers ; Snowdrop, 
Schoolmaster, Magnum Bonum, Vicar of Laleham, The Dean, Reading 
Russet, Prime Minister, Chancellor, Reading Giant, White Elephant, 
Imperator. The Daniels, Lye’s Conqueror and King of Russets, The 
Governor, The Bruce, Stourbridge Glory, and many others, nearly all 
great croppers, and creators of that wealth of Potatoes which contrasts 
so wonderfully with the comparative dearth of twenty-five years since. 
IMPROVEMENTS AMONGST PEAS. 
[Abstract of a paper read by Mr. Laxton.] 
Me. Laxton contended that, during the past quarter of a century, 
great improvements had been effected, especially in the directions of 
earliness, of handsome, large, and well-filled pods, and of dwarf later 
sorts, but that there is scope for further advance in fertility and hardi¬ 
ness, more particularly in the production of hardy market varieties ; 
and he holds that continued and constant attention will ever be 
necessary to maintain the acquired earlier and dwarf characters of 
Peas, as the stocks are especially liable to deteriorate in these respects, 
chiefly from repeated shelling out previous to and in harvesting, and 
the destruction by birds, &c., of the earliest and dwp.rfest portions of 
the stocks before the bulk can be secured. Mr. Laxton also alluded to 
the two modes of improvement resorted to by growers—selection follow¬ 
ing natural or insect cross-fertilisation, which, contrary to the general 
belief, he considers does take place, although rarely in the Pea, through 
the instrumentality of thrips and similar small insects, and that the 
presence of “ rogues,” as the stragglers in a crop of Peas are termed, is 
more often due to this cause than has been suspected, but mostly to the 
natural tendency of the cultivated Pea to sport and revert back to the 
original type. 
Artificial cross-fertilisation, as practised by Mr. Laxton, was also 
described as the other plan more recently adopted by raisers for the 
obtaining of new and improved varieties and the mode of proceeding, as 
from the flower of the Pea becoming naturally fertilised in an early 
stage of its formation, and some two or three days before it is fully ex¬ 
panded, the operation, which has frequently been considered a difficult 
one, although in reality very simple, must precede this. The lecturer 
divided garden Peas for shelling green into three gastronomic classes as 
follows :— 
1, Lamb Ptas, consisting of the small early sorts frequently eaten 
young with lamb in the early season in this country, and answering to 
the petit.? pois of the French. 
2, Ham or Bacon Peas .—Those usually consumed with ham or bacon, 
and which are generally round-seeded and of a more farinaceous 
character, and are eaten in a somewhat more mature condition. 
3, Marrowfats or Quality Peas, consisting chiefly of the larger main 
crop or later wrinkled sorts, and which are sweet in flavour and of a 
buttery texture when cooked green. 
That in order to meet the requirements for the above purposes and 
to suit the various soils, positions, climates, and seasons for which the 
gardener has to provide and the losses by deterioration, he holds that a 
larger number of sorts of Peas than are generally considered necessary 
must be maintained. Comparative tables were also given of the best 
sorts in cultivation twenty-five years ago and of those now in general 
use. 
AWARDS AT THE VEGETABLE CONFERENCE. 
Certificates were awarded by the Committees of Selection for the 
following varieties shown by the exhibitors named. 
GREEN VEGETABLES. 
Cabbages. — H&tive d’Etampes, Messrs. Vilmorin, Andrieux & Co. ; 
Offenham, Messrs. J. Harrison & Sons ; Hardy Green Colewort, Messrs. 
J. Veitch & Sons ; Red Dutch, Messrs. Dobbie & Co. 
Savoys. —Early Ulm, Dwarf Green-curled, and Vertus, Messrs. J. 
Veitch & Sons. 
Borecoles. —Extra Dwarf Green-curled and Cottager’s Kale, Messrs. 
J. Veitch & Sons. 
Brussels Sprouts. — Deverill’s Large Wroxton, Mr. H. Deverill; 
Paris Market, Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons. 
Cauliflowers.—Ye. itch’s Autumn Giant, Mr. J. Lambert; Pearl, 
Messrs, j. Veitch & Sons. 
Globe Artichoke.— Green Globe, Mr. J. Lambert. 
Spinach. —Viroflay, Mr. R. Smith ; Prickly Seeded, Mr. W. Poupart. 
FRUITS AND PULSE. 
Veqetable Marrow. —Anglo-Indian, Mr. J. Chadwick ; Long White, 
Mr. W. Palmer. 
Pumpkin. —Rouge de Crimee, Royal Horticultural Society. 
Cucumber. —Lockie’s Perfection, Mr. T. Lockie. 
Tomatoes. —Red Chemin and Mikado, Messrs. Vilmorin, Andrieux 
and Co. ; Chiswick Hybrid, Royal Horticultural Society. 
Beans. —(Runner) Neal’s Ne Plus Ultra, Mr. G. Neal ; (Butter) 
Early Golden Cluster and Fillbasket, Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons; 
(Butter) Sutton’s, Mr. R. Gilbert. 
Peas. —Duke of Albany, Telephone, Prodigy, and Sutton’s Matchless, 
Mr. J. Lambert. 
Capsicums or Chillies (collection).—Messrs. Vilmorin, Andrieux 
and Co. 
Maize. —Extra Early Sweet, Messrs. Vilmorin, Andrieux & Co. 
TAP ROOTS. 
Parsnip. —Dobbie’s Selected Hollow Crown, Messrs. Dobbie & Co. 
Beet. —Edinburgh Blood Red, Mr. Hugh Hanan ; Dewar’s Dwarf 
Red, Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons ; Dobbie’s New Purple, Messrs. Dobbie 
and Co.; (Turnip-rooted) Eclipse, Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons ; (Dracaena- 
leaved), Messrs. Vilmorin, Andrieux & Co. 
Carrots. —New Scarlet Improved Short Horn, The Novelty Seed 
Company ; Long Red Surrey, Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons. 
TUBERS AND BULBS. 
Potatoes. —Reading Russet. Mr. J. Hughes ; Reading Giant and King 
of Russets, Mr. J. Lye ; Snowdrop and London Hero, Mr. E. S. Wiles ; 
Suttons’ Abundance and Reading Russet, Mr. W. Wildsmith ; Adiron¬ 
dack and Early Puritan, Messrs. R. Veitch & Son ; Favourite, Mr. E. S. 
Wiles ; Veitch’s Improved Ashleaf, Mr. J. Hughes ; Wordsley Pride, 
Epicure, and Renown, Messrs. E. Webb & Sons ; Suttons’ Seedling, 
Prime Minister, Suttons’ Abundance, and Cole’s Favourite, Mr. J. Lam¬ 
bert ; Vicar of Laleham and London Hero. Messrs. R. Veitch & Son, 
Exeter ; The Rector and Edgecot Purple, Mr. E. S. Wiles ; Reading 
Giant, Suttons’ Abundance, and Hughes’ Pink Perfection, Mr. J. Hughes ; 
Suttons’ Seedling, Messrs. G. Bunyard & Co. 
For any new named seedling variety not in commerce, six tubers to 
be supplied for cooking, first-class certificates were awarded as follows:— 
Victory (Mr. J. Lye). 
Buchess of Fife (Mr. J. Hughes). 
Edgccote Early (Mr. E. S. Wiles). 
Talisman (C. Ross). 
AWARDS OF MERIT. 
Buke of Fife (Mr. J. Hughes). 
Seedling (Mr. R. Clive). 
Onions. — Giant, late White Flat Tripoli, for type, Messrs. Vilmorin, 
Andrieux & Co. ; Queen, for type, Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons ; Giant 
Madeira, for type, and large Blood-red Flat Italian, for type, Messrs. 
Vilmorin, Andrieux & Co.; Giant Zittau, for type, Messrs. R. Veitch and 
Son, Exeter ; Brown Spanish, Messrs. Oakshott & Millard ; Main Crop, 
Mr. Nicholas ; Deverill’s Improved Wroxton, for type, Mr. W. Pope ; 
Brown Globe, Messrs. J. Veitch & Sons ; Bedfordshire Champion, Mr. 
G. Wythes ; James’ Keeping, Mr. Muir ; Flat, Yellow, or Brown Anglo- 
Spanish, for type, Mr. H. Deverill ; Anglo-Spanish and Rousham Park, 
Mr. W. Pope ; Reading, Mr. J. Hughes ; Anglo-Spanish, Mr. Wingrove ; 
Rousham Park, Mr. C. J. Waite, Mr. Bowerman, and Mr. Deverill ; Ailsa 
Craig, for type, James’ Long Keeping, Pinesfield, Advancer, and Cocoa 
Nut, Mr. Deverill; James’ Long Keeping, for shape, Royal Horticul¬ 
tural Society ; Ailsa Craig, for shape, Mr. W. Pope, Mr. W. G. Gilbert, 
Mr. J. Hughes, and Mr. R. Kneller ; Black Douglas, for type, Mr. H. 
