March 34,1867. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
233 
favourable weather to the middle of April. Plants kept in pots after that 
time get starved, thin, and drawn, hence the cry, “Oh. I can’t glow 
Carnations. Last year I bought some and they ran up with just one 
flower stem, did not make any grass, and now my plants are all dead.” 
To lay the foundation of success plant early. 
The following is a selection that ought to find a place in every 
garden—viz., Alice Ayres, pearly white, striped carmine. Comte de 
Ohambord, pale flesh, large and sweet. Prince of Orange, yellow, 
margined with carmine. General Stewart, deep crimson, fine form. 
Gloire de Nancy, pure white, clove scent. Sailor Gordon, white striped 
with coral. Guiding Star, bright scarlet. Sirs. Donaldson, rosy pink 
1885, the destination of which was Cornwall, some (500 miles from here, 
and the agent who bought did so at a higher than the current rate on 
account of the sample being rather superior to the ordinary market 
samples. Then the farmers who thus sell go further north for a portion 
of their seed. In all these cases—but it is not likely—the persons pur¬ 
chasing may he doing so without having any good ground for so s ending 
their working ca ital. My own ex erience is that a change of seed is 
worth the outlay, provided care is taken to secure the tubers from a 
different kind of soil. On the other hand, Potatoes grown on soil of the 
same character are not worth troubling about. A few years ago I bought 
a very fine sample which had been grown on light soil, much lighter 
Fig. 42 .—Cyi-ripedium Morganianum. (Baron Sch oJii’a specimen.) 
beautifully shaded. John Barnett, beautiful bright cerise. Pride of 
Penshurst, pure yellow self. W. P. Milner, pure white, very sweet. 
Walter T. Ware, rose lake, striped yellow.—F. G. 
POTATOES. 
There are few things we are so little safe to dogmatise about as in 
matters connected with plants and soils; therefore, I should not like 
to say that Mr. Iggulden is absolutely wrong when he, at page 208, 
expresses the opinion that a change of seed in Potatoes is of no effect; 
but I am certain that the experience which has led him to form that 
opinion is somewhat peculiar. I happen to be located in a Potato- 
growing district, and the farmers find it profitable to dispose of a certain 
quantity of seed Potatoes annually, these going to the southern counties 
in bulk, where it is to be supposed the growers find it profitable to pur¬ 
chase on commission and pay freightage. I sold Myatt’s Ashlcaf in 
than our own, but there was no difference in the produce. From a 
strong soil, however, the result is markedly beneficial. Our own seed 
Potatoes are all pro, erly | re ared. yet seed off soil of the nature just 
indicated, through sprouted in “ pits,” and “cleaned” of the sprouts for 
market, yields a better crop than our home-prepared sets. Fresh soil 
on Potato ground influences the yield to about the same extent when 
compared with ground not so dressed. The same remark applies to 
ground which has been trenched as compared with that which has been 
only dug, while the application of certain chemical agents as manures 
exerts an influence alike in its effects as compared with ground not so- 
treated. That is my experience in the matter. 
I quite agree that there is no reason to suppose that varieties are 
degenerating. In a certain sense all vegetable products degenerate. 
Vines do, so do Apples, so do Orchids, so do Pelargoniums, so do hardy 
flowers ; but the degeneracy is the result of a treatment which when 
altcrc.l changes the effect. 
