January 1. 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
217 
dry. The potatoes themselves are placed in this 
medium, about three or four inches apart, and they may 
remain here until they have begun to grow, both at top 
and bottom; the object of the leaves, &c., being to en¬ 
courage that growth, and likewise, it being the most 
portable material, they can he safely removed at any 
time, with a considerable portion of it hanging to their 
roots. Now this plan, as a preliminary one, we like 
better than potting, which some do. The latter mode, 
we think, gives a stunted, cramped growth to the plant, 
and though the operation of turning them out of pots 
and planting them in their proper quarters, may seem 
an easy one, yet we object to that twisted direction it 
gives to the roots, and in a general way prefer removing 
them with balls or rather flakes of leafy matter, which 
we are particular in planting in the same way as they 
are taken up, and not huddled together like a lot of 
rubbish buried in a hole. 
But now to the bed on which they are expected to 
grow; and on this point we mean to say a few words, as 
we have seen a good system completely marred by a fit 
of niggardly economy, which banished the potato 
forcing-frames to some out-of-the-way place, where they 
were denied that all-important agent, sunshine, until 
late in the day. Now we never knew anyone who did 
not esteem a dish of nice young potatoes as one of the 
best adjuncts to the “ bill of fare ; ” why, therefore, are 
we to deny it those advantages necessary to success ? We 
say, then, give it one of the best positions in the framing 
ground—we mean the first portion that is put into force 
—after crops may be suited elsewhere. Now, having fixed 
on the site, heating materials must next be thought of. 
In the country", leaves are generally employed, but in 
the neighbourhood of towns, either dung or tan is the 
common article used. We hardly expect potatoes can 
be afforded hot-water-heated pits, except in especial 
cases; we therefore suppose a two or three-light box- 
frame to be devoted to the purpose, and heating 
materials to be in readiness, which, on this occasion, we 
shall presume to be leaves, the steadiest and most 
suitable medium we know of, when only a gentle heat is 
wanted. Our duties now are to make up the bed the re¬ 
quired size, which, if done with leaves alone, must be some¬ 
what larger than the frame, but it is very good practice 
to build the outsides with rough littery dung; it stands 
better, and let the interior be of leaves only. As a great 
deal of cold weather may be yet expected, and the heat 
from leaves being moderate, it ought not to be less than 
four feet high. This being done, and the frame and 
lights put on, we wait a day or two, and then put on the 
soil, which ought to be sound, good loam, not wet and 
sodden, neither what is called too light; that is, it ought 
not to be composed of decayed leaf and other matters in 
too great a proportion; a robust tuber like the potato 
requiring more substantial food. After the soil is intro¬ 
duced, we wait a few days until it gets warm, and some 
fine day we take advantage of, and remove the potatoes 
from the position they have been occupying in a pre¬ 
paratory way. In doing this, every care must be observed 
to take them up with all the ball available, and carrying 
them at once to the frame, plant them with as much 
dispatch as is consistent with well doing. We usually 
divide our frames into a certain number of rows, as 
near eighteen inches apart as they will divide; the rows 
running across the bed, i.e., north and south; about six 
or seven inches, from plant to plant, is also allowed, and 
as we only plant the short-topped kinds of the ash-leaved 
variety, we have found the above distance sufficient. 
Now, as we suppose the potatoes to be showing a little 
green top, we take care not to injure that top, and if it be 
too short to allow the tuber sufficient depth in the soil 
without a risk of burying it, we leave the ground 
shelving to it, or, what is quite as well, add some more 
soil afterwards; but in a usual way, the tops are quite 
enough advanced to admit the full depth of soil at once, 
and the bed is made up accordingly; when all is right, 
the frame is shut up, as we seldom water it at the same i 
time, for it rarely happens that there is sufficient heat to 
require water, and there is generally plenty of moisture to 
feed the young plant without its extracting an undue ; 
amount from the parent tuber. We may add, in this 
mode we do not sow Radishes , as the rapid progress of 
the potato, when brought forward in the method 
detailed, is such as to leave no chance for the Radishes 
doing anything but producing a tuft of leaves and a 
long neck; but we sometimes have a row of pots 
standing between the rows of potatoes, when our space 
for such things is limited elsewhere, as it very often is 
in early spring. 
Now, having brought the amateur thus far, very little 
remains to be done, except to be careful in covering up 
at night, and in severe weather that must be done 
securely, and to be sure to give air on all suitable 
occasions, shutting up early in the afternoon. Water 
will be wanted as the season advances, but of that a 
tolerably good index may be formed by the weather out¬ 
side, and the mass of foliage within. If the bed be 
formed of other materials than leaves, and the weather 
very dull and cold in February, or perhaps a severe 
frost occur then, some additional heat in the shape of 
linings will be beneficial, if such assistance can be 
granted, as that important season generally drains all 
the resources of that kind for other objects. Now in 
the above details we have supposed the frame and 
lights to remain over the crop until fit to take up 
for use, because we think the first crop is deserving 
such indulgence; but in all after-crops some other con¬ 
trivance must be adopted, so as simply to forward their 
progress at the least possible expense of protecting 
materials, in which glass rarely forms a part; but the 
means we adopt, and other particulars relating thereto, 
we must leave for another time, and in concluding this 
article, we may say the kind of potato we plant is one 
said to be an improvement on the old “ ash-leaved; ” 
and though some of the round varieties may be very 
good, yet the name of a kidney carries with it some¬ 
thing like a warrant of its qualities, (and the one we 
have being good) we have rarely used any other. 
Kitchen-garden Sundries. — Sea-Kale may now be 
more advantageously forced in the grounds it grows on 
than it could have been before Christmas. Nevertheless, 
we cut some the first week in December so forced. Cover 
up and protect it previously to the application of 
heating materials. Rhubarb is by no means so easily 
hastened on as Sea-Kale, but it makes quick progress 
when it once gets a start. Asparagus may be attended 
to, as directed in former Calendars. Cucumbers that 
have been carried through so far in a healthy condition 
may now be expected to do better, as clearer weather 
may be anticipated. A little more seed may be put 
in ; and those of our readers who have not the means 
to grow “ winter fruit ” must see about sowing their 
first lot without delay. Attend to the covering up of 
vegetables that the severity of the season may require; in 
this respect Celery may be included, if the frost comes 
very severe. Let 3tores of Carrots, Potatoes, Beet, &c., 
be looked over, and decayed ones removed; and Onions, 
Dried Herbs, and other things must also have that 
timely “ looking to ” which alone keeps them and every 
thing else in that degree of order which alone constitutes 
good management. 
The readers of The Cottage Gardener will have 
noticed the Kitchen-Garden department has, during the 
last few weeks, appeared under the initials of a person 
whose address it was promised would be shortly forth¬ 
coming. In therefore making my debut to the garden¬ 
ing world, T am reminded that the established rules of 
