May :o, I8#a ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
441 
rule, for the Jersey people like to have the money before their produce 
goes out of their sight, and there is nothing they dislike so much as risk ; 
the result is that the merchants get the produce at their own price, and 
that is often below the real value. 
Realisatiox. 
After all the trouble and expense that has been given to growing 
the crop, it will be readily conceded that the realisation ought to be 
good, and during the first few weeks of the season it is so, but during 
the last few years, by the time all the growers are in full swing digging, 
the supply has been greater than the demand, and the result has been a 
serious loss to many of the farmers in the latest parts of the island. 
When the crop is allowed to remain in the ground until nearly full 
grown the yield is from 14 to 18 tons per English acre, but if lifted 
before the yield is nothing like so good. The fact is many people begin 
to dig too soon, their one object being to have their crop off the ground 
in order to have the second crop in, and also to obtain all they can into 
the market before the English growers. Sometimes 1500 tons of 
Potatoes are sent to England from Jersey in one day in the height of 
the season. I have known crops realise £120 per acre, and I have known 
one case where a farmer made £90 per acre for all the ground he had 
under Potatoes. Of course these are exceptional cases, but if the crop 
is good and early the price retilised always leaves a good profit to the 
grower. During the first ten or fifteen days the prices realised vary 
from £25 to £30 per ton, but not more than from 5 to 10 tons per day 
are dug at this time, and these are generally dug from small plots on 
warm banks and in front of south walls, also on small patches on the 
cliffs quite close to the sea, but when digging begins in the fields the 
prices soon come down, as the following price list and return of exports 
will show :— 
The Potato export 
trade statistics 
for 
Jersey, 
1889, for 
the 
weeks 
ending— 
May 25th. 
Tons. 
Rate 
per 
Ton. 
Total Value. 
500 
... £17 
6 
8 ... 
£8,666 
13 
4 
June Ist . 
2365 
... 11 
1 
0 ... 
26,133 
5 
0 
„ 8th. 
5360 
6 
14 
4 ... 
36,001 
6 
8 
„ 16th. 
7393 
6 
18 
8 ... 
51,272 
0 
0 
„ 22nd. 
9590 
5 
17 
0 ... 
56,101 
10 
0 
„ 29th. 
9800 
3 
5 
0 ... 
31,850 
0 
0 
July 6th. 
76.50 
3 
8 
0 ... 
26,010 
0 
0 
„ 13th . 
4970 
2 
18 
6 ... 
14,537 
5 
0 
„ 20th. 
1875 
1 
19 
0 ... 
3,656 
■ 5 
0 
„ 27th. 
470 
2 
12 
0 ... 
1,222 
0 
0 
Aug. 3rd. 
190 
2 
12 
0 ... 
494 
0 
0 
»» . 
45 
2 
12 
0 ... 
117 
0 
0 
In bulk per vessels 
July 10th to 20th 
2490 
3 
5 
0 ... 
8,092 
10 
0 
Total tons . 
52,700 
... Total value 
£264,153 
15 
0 
From the above it will be seen that the bulk of the crop is lifted 
and sold in eight weeks, but it does not by any means represent the 
total value of the entire crop, nor does it represent all that is exported. 
The first two weeks when the highest price is made are left out. 
Then there is the produce grown under glass, and what is sold and 
consumed on the island by 00,000 people and many thousands of visitors, 
which will bring the total value to not less than £400,000, and the 
entire crop to not less than 75,000 tons. I must conclude, for though I 
have gone more fully into the subject than I intended there yet remains 
much more to be said. I need only mention that if anyone wishes to 
see how not only Potatoes grow in Jersey but bow other crops grow 
also, the best thing they can do is to do as I have done, go and see. 
I would just like to say here that plots of ground are planted with 
Potatoes in every conceivable place—warm sheltered nooks near planta¬ 
tions and on sunny slopes where it must be almost impossible to stand 
and dig the ground, which only shows how eager they are to utilise 
every piece of land. I saw several plots of Potatoes in full bloom, and 
those were the second crop of Potatoes on the same ground that year. 
I also saw Barley in the ear sown after Potatoes had been lifted. 
Cdlture under Glass. 
In order to have fine early Potatoes, early planting must be resorted 
to, for I find that, other things being equal, much finer crops can be 
produced in a given time by early than late planting. No fire heat is 
required in Jersey in order to grow the Potato to perfection in winter. 
Much glass is devoted to the crop after Grapes and Tomatoes are over. 
I have known Mr. Bashford have from three to four acres under glass 
at one time, and he informs me that he has grown the crops in the same 
houses six years in succession without any deterioration of the crop by 
changing the manure each year. The seed for indoor planting should 
be lifted and set up in boxes not later than the end of July, in order to 
get them well sprouted by October. Only the crown sprout is retained, 
and this is sturdy and strong. The best time to plant is from the end 
of October to the end of November. One house I planted on the 
13th November has turned out a really fine crop. The following dates 
will show you the progress they made. Planted November 15th ; 
showing through the ground November 28th ; all well above ground, 
forked between the rows, December 3rd ; earthed up December 24th ; 
crop lifted the last week in February. This was one of the finest crops 
I ever saw. Many of the Potatoes were 4 inches long, and of first-class 
quality. The work amongst the crop is done just the same as in the 
open ground, with the exception of watering. The ground should be 
in nice order at the time of planting, not too wet or too dry, for if 
watering has to lie resorted to before they are above ground it is apt to 
rot the sprouts. The prices realised by our crop this spring were 
Is. per lb. in February, lOd. during the first fifteen days in March, 
and 8d. to the end of March. — Herbert Parker, Jersey. 
THE CARNATION. 
( Continued from 2 )age 423. ) 
Calendar. 
January .—Perpetual plants that are coming into bloom should be 
fed with liquid manure. Keep a little heat circulating in the pipes to 
keep up the required temperature, and give air on all favourable 
occasions. Go over the plants every morning, and pick off all decayed 
petals and foliage, to give a tidy appearance and prevent damp collect¬ 
ing, keeping all flower stems neatly staked and tied up. Propagation 
should commence by layering or cuttings, following the directions 
before given. Look to those rooted in the autumn ; see that they do 
not suffer from water. Should any green appear on the surface stir the 
soil with a pointed stick, or scrape it off with a label. Keep a sharp 
look out for green fly and mildew ; fumigate with tobacco for the former 
rather gently two or three nights in succession, using flowers of sulphur, 
for the latter. Give attention to those varieties in cold frames. Stir 
the surface of the soil if necessary, and should damp weather prevail 
take remedial measures against diseases, such as mildew and spot, and 
take the same precaution with those outside. 
February .—For perpetuals in bloom follow on the same directions 
as given for last month, except that liquid manure should be with¬ 
held when fully out, and any plants that have finished flowering may 
be removed to cold frames, also those used for layering. See that the 
layers are kept moist, and no damping off with the cuttings. Towards^ 
the end of the month, should any be rooted, pot them off into small, 
pots. Plants in cold frames, if the weather is open, will require a 
little water, and should there be any gentle showers coming from the 
south they may have the benefit of them for about half an hour. 
March .—Perpetuals that are blooming will now begin to take more 
water. Green fly will perhaps be more troublesome this month, 
and should be kept well in check. Remove any plants having 
their blooms fully expanded to prevent damage by the smoke, 
and should there be any fly on them dust with tobacco powder, or 
remove it with a soft brush. Shade from the sun any flowers fully out. 
Pay attention to the' requirements of those plants potted last month, 
as to watering, &c. Layers and cuttings started in January should now 
be rooted. If so, pot them off and remove them to cooler quarters. 
Summer flowering varieties, if the weather be favourable, should now 
bo re-potted. Be very cautious as regards watering for a few weeks, 
after, and only keep the sashes over them to protect from rain and frost. 
Ajyril .—Shading should now be afforded generally to perpetuals in 
flower during the hottest part of the day, giving the same attention as 
advised for last month as to watering, and keeping them cool by 
giving all the air possible. Summer flowering varieties, if not potted 
last month, should be done at once. Seeds should now be sown and 
plunged in bottom heat. Plants wintered outside, and others intended 
for bedding, should now be planted where they are intended to flower, 
taking advantage of the weather when the soil is in good workable 
order. If dry they should have a watering after planting. 
May .—Blooms of the perpetuals will now be getting scarce. All 
plants that are over may be removed outside and kept in pots or 
planted out, to furnish layers and cuttings when required, keeping 
those that are in bloom as cool as possible and shaded. Watering 
will be the chief attention needed, besides watching for insects. 
Summer flowering varieties should be staked to prevent <lamage from 
the wind, as by this time they can be stood outside on ashes or boards. 
