May 12, 1887. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
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COMING EVENTS 
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Rogation Sunday. 
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Royal Botanic Society’a First Summer Show. 
THOUGHTS ON POTATO DEGENERATION. 
HEN last jotting down impressions on matters 
of interest in the Journal it was stated I 
should not again encroach on space for a 
few weeks, and I think I have kept my 
word. A longer silence would have been 
agreeable to me, as possib’y to some others, 
hut not to all, for week by week come re¬ 
minders of my inactivity; indeed, one im¬ 
pulsive friend accuses me of laziness, and another seems 
concerned at my “ drying up,” which he is good enough 
to think would be “ a pity.” I think so too, but on this 
matter I am prejudiced, and the opinions of such persons 
have little weight. On the next subject, which is an im¬ 
portant one, I am not prejudiced—namely, the alleged 
degeneration of Potatoes, and am free to give expression to 
a few thoughts thereon, and it will absorb the whole of 
them on this occasion. 
Mr. Iggulden and Mr. Murphy are the chief dispu¬ 
tants in the matter. It may be admitted they are both 
good “ Potato men,” hut I am unable, in all points, to 
agree with either of them. Though in my opinion Mr. 
Murphy attaches too much importance to the “ greening” 
process, he is perfectly right in his allegation that many 
varieties of Potatoes have lost their pristine vigour, and no 
longer grow so strongly nor yield so bountifully as in 
bygone days. If that is not degeneration I am at a loss 
to know what is. Mr. Murphy has clearly stated that the 
Scotch Champion is now among the weaklings in Ireland, 
while only a few years ago it was the strongest of all the 
tribe—once the sheet anchor of the farmers and peasants, 
now quite unreliable in the sister isle. That is a fact 
that was recorded with sorrow, and simply because its 
existence could not be ignored. Moreover, Mr. Murphy 
stated one valid reason for the deterioration of the, 
“Champion”—its proneness to early sprouting, and the 
inevitable weakening of the stock by the removal of the 
first strong growths, and relyiDg on the later and the 
weaker for perpetuation. Mr. iggulden, while denying 
degeneration, admits it, and, what is more, suggests a 
very simple method of prevention—namely, leaving the 
tubers in the ground till wanted for planting—a very 
good hint; but it appears Mr. Murphy cannot adopt it 
because he follows with Wheat. Cannot he bury his seed 
Potatoes somewhere else ? I thought there was plenty of 
room in Ireland. 
Further, Mr. Iggulden, to whom we are indebted for 
much sound advice from time to time, sprinkled with a 
few illogical expressions, perhaps to incite controversy, 
besides his tacit admission referred to, states in positive 
terms that Potatoes degenerate, for he says, “ Weaken 
the sets by premature sprouting, and degeneration, for 
No. 359. —Vol. XIV., Third Sefie*. 
one season at least, is the almost certain consequence.” 
Exactly; and if they are weakened in the same way for 
two, three, or more seasons does not the degeneration 
become the more marked? We may admit faults in 
management, hut that is only another way of admitting 
the deterioration of varieties as the expression of those 
faults. Faults in management can be rectified, and every 
effort should be made to that end. We might then 
expect better results in other crops besides Potatoes. 
The most striking instance that occurs to me on the 
degeneration of Potatoes is the case of the once popular 
and profitable variety, the Fluke, and that was not caused 
by premature sprouting, for it is one of the most tardy to 
move, and I think it possible that its lateness in that 
respect mainly proved its ruin, and if that is so we have 
evidence of the same effects being produced from totally 
different causes. A first-rate Potato grower, as good at 
least as anyone I know, had a special market for Flukes, 
and for a few years made more money by their culture 
than from any other variety. He selected his seed tubers 
with the greatest care, stored them well, worked his land 
well—indeed improved it considerably, so much, indeed, 
that he could and did pay 20 per cent- more rent than 
his neighbours around him; yet, notwithstanding all his 
efforts, his much-prized Flukes degenerated till they no 
longer ceased to be profitable. He procured fresh seed, 
and that effected an improvement for a year, not “ at 
least ” according to Mr. Iggulden’s degeneration limit, 
but “at most.” By the introduction of fresh seed he 
“ kept his market ” for a time, but eventually the seed 
degenerated and the cultivation of the precious Flukes 
had reluctantly to be abandoned. The grower was 
anxious to oblige his customers, but was bound to pay 
his rent. There was no exhaustion by removing early 
growths, no want of good tillage nor of cultural attention; 
other sorts produced excellent crops, but the Fluke 
collapsed. 
There has been a good deal of skimming over the 
surface on the subject of Potato degeneration, and at the 
risk of being tedious I will venture on a deeper dive, and 
if I fish up a few, so far as I know, new notions, an oppor¬ 
tunity will be afforded for someone to point out that they 
are as “ old as the hills.” 
Believers in the degeneration theory have often been 
confronted with the circumstance of the Early Ashleaf 
varieties being as good as they were a generation ago, as 
if that settled the matter against the late sorts failing. 
Mr. Iggulden has once more put the Ashleaf in the box 
as his chief witness against the degeneration of the Cham¬ 
pion, Fluke, or any other late variety. I think it is time 
this witness was, so to say, cross-examined, and though I 
may fail in the effort, that shall not deter me from the 
endeavour of turning the most formidable evidence our 
Potato-learned friend can advance as evidence against 
himself. 
Why does the old Early Ashleaf Potato retain its 
normal vigour ? “ Because its first growths are preserved,” 
says Mr. Iggulden. But does he suppose they have 
always been preserved, and by everybody, with the same 
care that the best cultivators preserve them now ? 
I know quite well they have not, also that numbers of 
persons do not exercise any such care even at the present 
day. Yet the old favourite exists. But if the removal of 
the first growths is the one great cause of the breakdown 
of varieties, the retention of the whole resources in the 
tubers, no early growths being rubbed off, should ensure 
prolonged vigour. I am in a position to say that selected 
No. 2015 .—Vol. LXXVI., Old Series. 
