462 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
[ Jane 9. 1887. 
am glad to say I generally find something in his articles from which to 
differ. If we all thought alike it would be a humdrum world. It was 
not necessary for him to remind us of the delight he takes in upsetting 
time-honoured “ fads.” Searching for something to which he can object 
would seem to be the great work of his life ; and he pursues it with 
such energy that if he cannot find something to demolish in an article 
Ire is criticising, he will evolve a proposition of his own, or borrow one, 
set it up, then proceed to knock it down as if he were pulverising an 
opponent. If he continue in that course he will at no distant date 
achieve the distinction of being the greatest fad in the family. 
One of our friend’s “ fads ” in the past was to advance the existing 
vigour of the Early Ashleaf Potato as proof that late sorts had not 
degenerated, except through weakening the sets by removing the first 
and strongest growths. When I showed that a variety which he now 
admits is practically extinct, was so late in starting that it could not 
have been subjected to that weakening process, he coolly says, “ We will 
drop the Ashleafs,” under the specious assumption that they are “too 
much ” for me. Put is there not another cause—the explosion of the 
little fad on which he based his argument ? The truth is, move early 
growths have been removed from the tubers of the old Ashleaf over a 
longer period of time than from any other variety in cultivation. Yet 
it exists ; while the least number of early growths have been removed 
from the Fluke, yet it is extinct. So much stronger are facts than 
fads. 
I have practised the retention of all the force possible in the “seed” 
tubers of Potatoes for some time, I think, before Mr. Iggulden did, and 
certainly denounced their dissipation in this Journal a few years before 
our friend’s first line was printed. The practice is bad and injurious to 
any varieties to which it is applied ; but it does not account solely for 
the weakening of varieties distinctly different in character and that 
ripen, if they ripen at all, three or four months later. My contention is 
that no plant, be it Vine or Potato, that is systematically perpetuated 
from immatured parts—impaired parentage—over a series of years can 
be represented in its original vigour ; and I suspect very different argu¬ 
ments than those advanced on page 413, supplemented by the curious 
gleanings from McIntosh, will be required to demonstrate the unsound¬ 
ness of that proposition. It is based, I think, on a physiological fact, 
which is, I take to be, firmer than Igguldenian logic. 
This shall now be examined in another aspect. It is suggested 
that Potatoes fail through being grown in “ humus-abounding garden 
soil,” and gardeners are told to imitate farmers in using more mineral 
fertilisers. Without saying anything against those manures we have to 
face the fact that it is precisely in the/ 1 humus-abounding gardens” that 
Ashleaf Potatoes have been grown for generations—the very kind that 
Mr. Iggulden adduced as typical of sustained vigour. No other varieties 
have been grown so long in such rich soil as these have ; still they are 
with us as strong as ever, while others customarily grown in the less 
rich soil on farms have dwindled away and can no longer be profitably 
cultivated. But the truth of the matter, in my opinion, is this, that we 
cannot take the Early Ashleaf as a basis of argument in considering the 
condition and requirements of the late-ripening sorts. These would not 
object to richer soil if they ripened in hot weather and had the same 
space for unobstructed leaf-development that is accorded to the dwarfer 
growers ; indeed, the better the soil the better the crops now, when the 
plants are not overcrowded with clusters of small stems and leaves that 
weaken instead of strengthen them, exhausting the land of its ferti¬ 
lity and returning nothing to the tubers that are starving below. 
The best growers of Potatoes, those expert cultivators who can and 
do send ten tons of good tubers per acre to market, do not work on the 
starvation system, and it was one of these good growers who failed with 
the Fluke, and not through the want of either lime, phosphates, or 
potash. He knew more about manures than our mentor does who tells 
gardeners to imitate farmers, and to use “ anybody’s special Potato 
manure,” bceause the more experienced grower had several of those 
manures analysed, and some of them were ruinously costly. There are 
good “ special ” manures without a doubt, but too many special swindles 
have been exposed to render the advice to grow “ anybody’s ” unknown 
mixtures safe for general adoption. It is not the best teaching either to 
advise the use of kainit as a top-dressing before earthing the plants. 
It should be applied with the sets if not before, or it will mainly benefit 
the crop after the Potatoes, if such need potash. With nitrogenous 
manures, such as sulphate of ammonia or nitrate of soda, also the 
tolerably quick acting superphosphate, it is different, and 1£ cwt. of 
either of the former with twice or thrice that quantity of the latter so 
used have proved a profitable investment, but even phosphates as well 
as potash are better applied with the sets. Another word on manures. 
Nobody’s, let alone “ anybody’s,” special mixtures are equally suited for 
all soils. The best advice on the use of fertilisers is that which has been 
enforced by the writer of the farm articles—to know what you are buy¬ 
ing, and buy under a guarantee ; then always bearing in mind the in¬ 
junction of Mr. Cook in the last two lines of his valuable letter on 
potash last week (page 454), in which he says with great truth, “ Careful 
experiment in all cases is the only absolutely reliable test of the require¬ 
ments of crops in any soil.” It is by acting in accordance with that 
test and a generous application of fertilisers that the best crops of 
Potatoes are produced, and not by using “anybody’s” special manures 
just before earthing the plants. 
I have yet to refer to the assumption, absolutely gratuitous and 
groundless, that neither myself nor the able Potato grower to which re¬ 
ference was made “ tried the experiment of planting Flukes on a warm 
border ” for securing a longer season of growth and better seed. Both 
that and other experiments have been made ; and it is on them, and not 
mere theory, that my remarks were and are founded - and yet my 
logical critic would “ like a few tubers to experiment with ” in that 
direction. Why did he not try the plan when he had the chance, and 
thus teach from experience instead Of drawing on his fancy for argu¬ 
ments, and hoping to have the experience afterwards when he can get a 
“ few tubers ?” I have probably made experiments with Potatoes that 
our friend has not dreamt of, and quite sufficient to enable me to dis¬ 
pense with the necessity for hunting up McIntosh—a mine that is well 
worked by more than one writer on gardening. 
Me. Iggulden is years too late in his suggested experiment, and he- 
may perhaps be interested to know that his new plan of leaving- 
Potatoes in the earth for retarding their growth in spring was systemati¬ 
cally practised thirty years ago with varying results. It was this which 
led to the once much lauded but not long practised system of November 
planting. I have known Ashleaf varieties, left undug, all start into- 
growth in the autumn, and thus ruined, and they can be kept-better 
under favourable conditions out of the ground. With Flukes the plats 
utterly failed. During some seasons it answered with Regents ; irt 
other years it was non-effective. I have not tried it with Champions,, 
and in some soils especially, I should think it likely to answer well with 
them. Mr. Murphy is in error in supposing leaving them in the ground’ 
is equivalent to pitting. The circumstances are quite different unless- 
the heaps are like many I have seen—miniature ridges resting on a base- 
not much more than a foot wide—that method of storing being prac¬ 
tised by a very able gardener who Won his spurs years ago as an ex¬ 
hibitor of Potatoes, and who is always a formidable opponent whenever- 
he exhibits. That narrow-ridge pian is good and worthy of mention, 
here. 
Me. Iggulden is justified in recommending the Champion since it 
answers so well with him, but the fact remains that it is no longer 
nearly so profitable as it once was in many districts, with the result that 
the acreage under that variety is greatly reduced. One cultivator who* 
had about 300 acres of the Champion a few years ago has not now- 
thirty acres ; and I have seen more diseased tubers of the variety than, 
of Regents grown in the same field. 
I could say something in support of the experience of “ N. B.” as- 
to the precocity of unripe tubers, and if time permits shall not hesitate* 
to say it, though it may appear in conflict with some views to which I 
have given expression — at least any possible “ lashing ” from Mr„ 
Iggulden will not deter me ; all his flagellation I can endure, if not 
enjoy, because the greater his onslaught the more the chinks in his 
armour are invariably exposed. 
Mb. Iggulden has something to learn on the subject of changing 
seed. This is very evident from his remark as to the inutility of 
changing vegetable seeds, say Peas, as seedsmen could tell him, and 
farmers too, whom he asks gardeners to imitate. Anything more curious: 
than the remark alluded to has not lately appeared in the Journal ; it is* 
a fad with a vengeance in the opinion of— A Thinkee. 
POSTPONING ROSE SHOWS. 
The disorder of postponement has appeared among Rose show- 
fixtures, and seems to be a catching complaint. Reigate was the first 
victim, and then the Crystal Palace fell. The inconvenience of the 
alteration at the last moment,of the date of a great Show like that of" 
the Crystal Palace, long since fixed and advertised, and in accordance 
with which other fixtures are arranged, is very considerable, and is in no* 
way reduced by the selection of the day of the Queen’s great Jubilee- 
Review at Aldershot, when railways on that side of London will probably 
he in a state of chaos. One result has already been that the Hereford' 
Show has had to be postponed from the 8th to the 15th July, a date when 
the Hereford Roses will probably be past their best, and other shows will 
also very likely be upset by the alteration; while the two favourite dates 
of the 1st and 2nd July are left without any shows at all. 
It remains to be proved that Roses will be later this year than last, 
when it will be remembered that in spite of severe spring frosts, the- 
principal Surrey growers found their Roses past by the 6th July ; but 
the postponement of long-settled and advertised fixtures, apart from 
independent reasons of necessity, is both unfair and unwise ; for if it 
be urged that there will be few exhibitors at early shows, even should it 
be the case, it will not mend matters much to postpone, as the exhibition 
will then probably have to be held on the same day as another show 
elsewhere, and there are very few exhibitors that can be in two places; 
at once. 
This year there seems a danger that exhibitors may find no shows to 
go to until the Roses are all over, and that then all the shows will be 
held on one day.—T heta. 
An excellent American adage bids, “ Never prophesy unless you are 
sure.” The temptation to do so is, however, strong occasionally, perhaps 
