September 19. 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
483 
not to write of the difficulties, hut the success, of the plans 
adopted, one of which I have never seen recommended, but 
which I have tried two years with perfect success. 
I sow Mangold about the last week in April, in drills, two 
feet apart; and having always a quantity of Cabbage plants 
sprotbore on hand to fill vacancies, I plant some about two 
or three yards apart in the side, the root in the dung, and 
the plant lying flat, with its head midway between the drills, 
no two being opposite, which, when rooted and growing, are 
pushed with liquid-manure, and when ripe are cut off close 
to the ground. 
As this is the time to prepare plants for another year, I 
thought a hint from you might induce others, who, like 
myself, have to provide bacon for a family, to do likewise, 
as it produces a large quantity of food for a pig at a time 
when it is scarce, without deteriorating the crojp of Mangold. 
—R. Gough, Chawleigh, Devon. 
soil, on a bank sloping to the south, and sheltered by build¬ 
ings from the north and east winds. D. crispa is a native 
of the Western Himalaya, at elevations between 5,500, and 
7,500 feet. Its flowers are lilac, with a yellow eye, and very 
fragrant, blooming from the beginning of February to the 
same period in May. It attains the height of twelve or 
fourteen feet .—(Botanical Magazine, t. 4793.) 
Clematis barbellata ( Small-bearded Traveller's Joy). 
This is a hardy climber, from the Western Himalaya, 
where, at an elevation of 10,000 feet, it was found by Dr. 
Hoyle and Mr. Pakenliam Edgeworth. It is very pretty, 
“ bearing numerous, large, chocolate-coloured flowers, with 
cream-coloured borders to the sepals.” It was first raised 
in this country by Mr. Moore, of the Glasnevin Botanic 
Garden, Dublin, from seed sent thither by Major Madden. 
It blooms in May.— (Botanical Magazine , t. 4794.) 
NEW PLANTS. 
SriR®A grandiflora {Large-flowered Spirtea). 
This hardy shrub was sent from China by Mr. Fortune, 
who named it Amelanchier raccmosa. It bloomed in May of 
the present year, at the nursery of Messrs. Standish and ; 
Noble, Bagshot. Its flowers are large, white, and very ' 
conspicuous, rendering it a welcome addition to our early- 
flowering shrubs .—{Botanical Magazine, t. 4795.) It must 
be much like Spirted cccrulesccns, which we remember to 
have seen in India. 
Gardenia globosa {Globe-fruited Gardenia). 
This fragrant, white-flowered, greenhouse, evergreen shrub, 
is a native of Natal, in South Africa. It blooms in June, j 
It was first discovered by Dr. Krauss, and has reached this I 
country through Messrs. Backhouse, of York Nursery.— 
{Botanical Magazine , t. 4791.) 
Catasetuh NASO {Proboscis Catasetnm). 
This Orchid is a native of Caraceas. Sepals and petals 
pale dull green outside, slightly pink inside, richly spotted 
in irregular bars with deep crimson-purple .-—{Botanical 
Magazine, t. 4792.) 
Buddleia crista {Crisped-leavcd Buddleia). 
If this shrub be as hardy as B. globosa, which it is said 
to be by Sir W. Hooker, then will it stand our winters 
unsheltered, if grown on a light, well-drained soil. We 
grew, in Essex, for many years, the B. globosa, in such a ! 
THE TIME WHEN POTATOES SHOULD BE 
TAKEN UP. 
Allow me respectfully, through the medium of your 
valuable Journal, to offer to the agriculturist a few re¬ 
marks on the general neglect of gathering in at the proper 
time that most important of all vegetables, the Potato, and 
the serious consequences that often result from it. This 
dilatoriness I have observed for years, in travelling through 
the different counties of England in my professional pur¬ 
suits; and, as the Potato season is already' at hand, the 
suggestions I have to offer will, perhaps, now be most op¬ 
portune and serviceable. I made similar observations a few 
years ago, but I feel the importance of the subject will be a 
sufficient excuse for touching upon it again. It is generally, 
but erroneously, supposed, that the Potato is not ready 
until the top appears completely decayed or withered up; 
whereas, it is unquestionably ready ns soon as the leaves 
have ceased to act: the tuber then derives no further 
nourishment, and can be no better for lying in the ground ; 
consequently, as soon as the Potato tops become exhausted, 
that is, have lost their vigorous greenness, and are evidently 
turning to a languishing yellow, the tuber has reached the 
height of its growth, and can derive no additional good by 
remaining longer in the ground, and should, therefore, be 
got up the first favourable opportunity, in fine weather, in 
as clean and dry a state as possible. Many crops will be 
found ready now, and by the end of this month the whole 
ought to be got in. Instead of this, hundreds of acres, 
every season, remain ungathered at the end of October, and 
many in November; the natural consequences of which 
neglect are, deterioration in quality, and inevitable loss in 
quantity; many being seriously damaged by the heavy 
autumnal rains, or by frost, both as they lie in the ground, 
and in taking up. It is gratifying, however, to know, that, 
although the Potato disease prevails to some extent in all 
parts of the country, yet its prevalence is likely to prove to 
be far less this year than last; therefore, if dry weather con¬ 
tinue until the crops are reaped, we may confidently expect 
a fair average supply of good, healthy Potatoes, which, last 
soason, were not only scarce and dear, but very deficient in 
quality. 
Let me caution all Potato growers against the erroneous 
notion of preventing the disease by cutting off the tops on 
its first appearance; for if the practice even proved a remedy, 
“ the remedy would be worse than the disease,” for such 
treatment would render the whole worthless, and unfit for 
the table. I was shown a crop of strongly-grown second 
early Potatoes, at the end of July, which had had their tops 
cut off nearly close to the ground, with a view of arresting 
the disease, but, in spite of the precaution, the better half 
of the crop was affected about a week after. I had a few of 
the healthy tubers boiled, but they proved worthless, which 
I was not surprised at, as the leaf, stem, and root, are all 
equally essential to the perfect ripening of the tuber.— 
Joshua Major, Knowsthorpe. near Leeds. 
