Jane 16, 1887. ] 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
479 
done good to growers and vendors, but the great bulk of con¬ 
sumers have not to the same extent benefited through the agency of 
the shows. Prizes have been awarded to Potatoes on account of 
their size and appearance alone, quite irrespective of quality, with 
the result that varieties have been grown that were not, perhaps, 
intended to be eaten, but only to be “ staged.” 
Of late years more attention has been devoted to quality, and 
notably in the Chiswick trials. But the fact remains that varieties 
have been certificated that are not likely to be of service in con¬ 
tributing to the food resources of the country ; while others that 
have proved useful in this prosaieal way have had no such honours 
bestowed on them. 
The honouring of size and ignoring of the quality of Potatoes 
continued too long. We have more than once protested against it, 
and have not been thanked for doing so by fanciers and judges. At 
the same time, not being sentimentalists, we would avoid going to 
the other extreme in advocating the culture of medium-sized Pota¬ 
toes only, on the ground of their generally better quality. Though 
these we grow because they answer our purpose, the great fact has 
to be recognised that the multitude has to be fed, and with the 
million this is very closely an affair of the “ pocket,” a great bulk 
of fair quality for a given sum finding more favour than a lesser 
bulk of higher quality in the market. The demand being of 
that character, it must be met, and it can only be met with fair 
profit to the growers by the cultivation of varieties that produce 
heavy crops, not a limited number of very large tubers, for such 
are not readily saleable, but by the greatest possible yield of tubers 
of medium size ; these, even if the quality is much below our 
standard of excellence, give the greatest satisfaction to the 
majority of consumers in towns and of growers on farms in the 
country. 
Recognising that fact, for fact we apprehend it is, bulk cannot 
.always be ignored, even if defects in quality are apparent, in pro¬ 
ducing food for the masses in populous places (who are in the 
blissful ignorance of not knowing what really good Potatoes are) we 
are yet strongly of opinion that much more attention should be 
given to the quality of Potatoes and other vegetables that are 
grown by gardeners for home use than at present appears fashion¬ 
able, and less to mere size or bulk of produce. Judges at shows 
have much to answer far in lowering the quality of Potatoes for 
home use. A false standard of excellence is set up, the outcome of 
which is that there are young gardeners and their affluent 
employers like their hungry and humble brethren in towns, in not 
knowing what first-rate Potatoes are. When Potatoes are served in 
their highest excellence small tubers of the kinds are selected, 
large ones being rejected ; and those with a sulphury tinge are 
usually better flavoured than tubers as white as superfine flour. 
The samples sent to us by Mr. Fenn we could find no fault with. 
They were the reverse of large, and those of Sir Charles Douglas 
not as symmetrical as eggs ; but as regards quality they were far in 
advance of the London standard, also of that of not a few country 
houses we have from time to time visited.] 
PLANTING STOCKS AND ASTERS. 
Frequently these plants are left too long in the seed bed, or, 
more correctly speaking, in the position in which they were trans¬ 
planted from the seed pans or boxes. They are, in the majority of 
cases, pricked out into some moderately light rich soil in which has 
been incorporated a liberal quantity of leaf mould. This induces 
rapid growth after the plants are once fairly started, and if left 
under these conditions for too long, they attain a large size, and are 
severely checked when transplanted. The longer Stocks, whether 
Ten Weeks, Intermediate, or East Lothian, are left, the greater the 
difficulty in removing them without flagging severely for some time 
after planting. Stocks that are long left in the same position are 
certain to move badly, for they naturally form rather long strong 
roots which are almost destitute of fibre. When finally planted in 
a moderately small state they can be lifted with good fibry roots, 
and if done during showery weather, they quickly take to their new 
quarters and grow vigorously from the first. To grow Stocks 
thoroughly well they should be planted out where they are to 
flower in a small shite, so that they may be checked as little as 
possible. No comparison can be drawn between those planted out 
while comparatively small and before they crowd one another, and 
those that are allowed to attain a large size, but are weakly. Sturdy 
plants and early planting in fertile soil is the secret of having 
Stocks of an exceptionally fine character, well branched, and 
possessing large bold full spikes of bloom. 
Asters are more inclined to form large quantities of fibre, and 
therefore can be transplanted with greater certainty of doing well 
than Stocks. But it is unwise to allow them to become too large 
before they are planted out. Only last season we were impressed 
with the importance of placing them out early before the ) lants 
really commenced vigorous growth and became crowded. Both 
Stocks and Asters branch freely if dwarf sturdy plants are put out 
directly the state of the weather will allow of this being done. 
If the soil in the bed or border in which they are to be planted is 
good, the latter should not be placed nearer than 1 foot apart, and 
the former 15 inches. Half the beauty of these useful plants is 
not developed, for they are often partially destroyed in their early 
stages of growth, or ruined by being planted too closely together. 
Those who have adopted such practices will be surprised at the 
result of the more liberal system of treatment advised if they carry 
it out properly.—D. A. 
&PINACII. 
More anxiety is caused by this than perhaps any other vegetable 
crop. The summer crop runs to seed in a short time, the plants 
being scarcely above ground when they “ spindle,” the leaves being 
insignificant, and as that is the useful part, dishes are obtained with 
difficulty in hot weather. Then the winter crop is liable to dis¬ 
appear in an unaccountable way. The plants are, for a time, very 
healthy, and promise an abundance of large and fleshy leaves, but 
the plants begin to turn yellow at the points of the leaves, the 
whole plant soon assumes a sickly hue, growth has ceased some time, 
and collapse is only a matter of a few days. The disaster is not 
caused by any grub, nor is there any evidence of the mysterious 
agency of fungus. 
Having tried many plans and schemes, I had come to the con¬ 
clusion that there was no escape from Spinach failures. I had 
grown all sorts, kept well posted, and come to look on Spinach 
vagaries with complacency. I sowed a large breadth down after early 
Carrots, another after French Beans, and a third after Peas, second 
early, there being a fourth after Cauliflowers. Those independent 
of the private supply, which was had after whatever might be off 
in time, a reservation of ground of course being made, which was 
that of early Potatoes, Peas, &c., generally the Peas, with a good 
coat of well-decayed manure applied and dug in, and sometimes 
after Cauliflower. Good and necessary, however, as is rotation of 
crops, I have found ground highly cultivated will grow anything, 
only following with crops of the same sort comes to disaster in the 
end, and the longer it is continued the greater is the disaster; there¬ 
fore, all I shall say of the rotation is that the Spinach does best 
after Peas, Potatoes, and Cauliflower in that order, and better than 
anything after summer Onions— i.e., those that are bunched, as the 
Tripolis. But I hardly think rotation has much to do with the 
failure of Winter Spinach. In all the cases named the Spinach 
was grown on the flat at the usual distance of 18 inches to 2 feet 
between the rows, and the plants a foot apart in the rows. That, 
however, after Carrots, went off worst; then the French Beans, and 
Cauliflowers next. Now we have a departure from the flat system. 
Between the rows of Peas I had Celery, trenches taken out in the 
usual way and laid alongside the Peas. The Celery failed. I had 
the wide ridges sown with Spinach after cleaning and levelling, but 
not filling the Celery trenches, as that would be useful for the 
house. I had three rows on each ridge. The Celery trenches were 
18 inches wide, and the Spinach ridges 4 feet 6 inches wide. The 
Spinach grew well, and I waited for Mr. Salesman’s telegrams, 
sending only the usual consignments, and left the ridge Spinach 
alone. Fully half the Spinach plants on the Carrot plot had 
collapsed. That after the Cauliflower was much the best, but 
sparrows took a fancy to it and tore the leaves into shreds, and that 
after French Beans was not bad, only late, as the ground had been 
dried in its two senses— i.e., moisture and food, by the French 
Beans. The home supply had been also culled, as the supply ex¬ 
ceeded the demand. It came at last. “ Send on—Spinach scarce 
and dear.” All hands were set to work and every bushel filled. 
This was off the Celery ridges, and it weighed over 2 lbs. more 
per bushel than the other. For the extra trouble I receive 3s. 
per bushel, less by Is. fid. than before. I received no more telegrams 
about Spinach. 
The Spinach on the Celery ridges stood high and dry. That is 
something in favour of Winter Spinach ; but the chief is it was 
mulched with short manure. The way to get Winter Spinach is 
to sow on ridges like Mangolds, thin to about fi inches apart—taking 
out every other plant at the first gathering—and mulch. To get 
summer Spinach sow also on ridges and mulch. The best I have 
had, either for winter or summer, has been Yeitch's Victoria, which 
has thick dark green leaves, very fleshy, and is not liable to run to 
seed so soon as many others. Monstrueuse de Carentan is also a fine 
fleshy leaved sort of the Flanders type, and good for either summer 
or winter. Prickly is good for winter, and Round for summer. I 
sow about the 10th of August for the winter supply, and every 
fornight up to the same date in September. The summer supply 
