May 30.] 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
135 
In giving tlie above list, it is by no means supposed to be 
the very best that can be contrived ; what 1 mean to explain 
is, that in looking over the whole, no two beds should appear 
on a line of the same colour: thus 7, 4, and 1 ; 1,3, and 3 ; 
3, 0, and 9 ; 7, 8, aud 9; 7, ft, and 3; 3, ft, and 8 ; 4, ft, and 
(i ; and 9, 0, and 1, ought all and each to represent colours 
differing as much from each other as possible ; some beds, 
as 3 and C, might be of the same colour, because in regular 
lines they do not come in contact with each other, which 3 
and 8 would do; and I do not think the intervening of one 
solitary bed sufficient between colours exactly alike. Such 
is my opinion ; and as the majority of flower-gardens are sur¬ 
rounded by walks, it is imperative that they look equally well 
on all sides. Where flower gardens are planted in masses of 
one colour, attention to the above simple rules is all that can 
be well carried out, and all that has been mitten on the 
subject beyond that only tends to confuse the planter. 
Some years ago I saw a series of beds which were planted 
under the direction of one who was thought a great authority 
in such matters, and certainly a worse display, on the whole, 
could not have been made by an unlettered labourer. That 
failure, as well as some others in the same way, led me to 
believe, that the difficulties in getting plants of the required 
size, colour, itc., combined with other uncertainties, were 
such, that quite as good, if not in many cases a better result 
attended planting in an almost indiscriminate manner. In 
support of that opinion, I may quote those landscape writers' 
own words who so strongly advocate desultory planting in 
other things, yet affirm so much mystery (for I will not call 
it information) on the subject of floral display. 
In conclusion I beg to say, I do not arrogate to myself 
that the opinions above given are all just, only let us have 
discussion, and prove I am wrong or ignorant. I am glad 
to see Mr. Beaton recommending mixed beds again. 1 
always thought they were too hastily condemned some years 
ago, but, as that is his province, I shall wait until he has 
done before saying anything, as I should only, perhaps, be 
repeating what he had written the preceding week. 1 will, 
however, if required, send you a sketch of a geometrical 
garden applicable to grass, and some other subjects less 
treated on by your able coadjutors. S. N. V. 
[Weshall be very glad to hear from you on any subject; 
and Mr. Beaton, we are sure, will read your paper with 
interest, for our prime object is the attainment of truth in all 
that concerns the homes and gardens of the British islands. 
We shall be glad of your address, in strict confidence.— 
Ed. C. G.] 
THE SEEDLING CULTURE OF THE POTATOE. 
It is somewhat remarkable, that amongst all the various 
opinions that have been expressed relative to the potato dis¬ 
ease, very little has been said of the seedling culture of the 
plant, as the means of mitigating its devastating influence. 
And although some of our oldest cultivators can bear tes¬ 
timony that the potato, like other plants, has been subject to 
different diseases and attacks of blight for a great number of 
years—a fact also well-known to their ancestors—still they 
have failed to assist nature in her work. 
Some writers have asserted, that the potato disease is 
caused by the gasceous exhalations of the earth; others, 
that it is a blight, an insect (Aphis vastator); while some 
have stated that it is entirely atmospheric; and some that 
the plant is wearing out, and in time will become extinct. 
Now, taking a philosophical view of the question, I will 
ground my argument upon the last named cause, “ that the 
plant is wearing out," by stating that it is not altogether un¬ 
founded, although it is in some degree fallacious to suppose 
that one plant should become extinct more than another ; 
while the all-wise Creator has provided the means of per¬ 
petuation for every living thing, both animal and vegetable, 
upon the face of the earth ; and with such means placed at 
our disposal, there is good hopes to suppose that the health 
and cultivation of the potato may be resuscitated, and the 
disease if not totally exterminated, greatly reduced in its 
effects. 
Now, I regard this weaving-out of the plant as its old age, 
just the same as that an old man or woman are not so well 
able to withstand the attacks of disease as youth; although 
infants and children have their complants, and often die, and 
so do young plants. We all know, that have any knowledge 
of horticulture at all, that old plants are more subject to 
disease than a healthy vigorous young one, and weak sickly 
plants are more subject to the attacks of insects than the 
more robust. By way of example. The carnation is very 
subject to a disease called canker, which is caused by too 
much wet or damp, but do we ever find it among a batch 
of seedlings ? very seldom ! and only then when it is an ex¬ 
traordinary wet season, or under very bad management. 
And were it not for the assiduity of the florist in constantly 
keeping up a succession of new seedling varieties, the old 
ones in course of time would become diseased and die, while 
others would degenerate back to the original Clove gilly-flower. 
Again, let us consider what has been done for the dalflia, 
through the untiring perseverance of the florist, in the pro¬ 
secution of seedling culture; compare the beautiful varieties 
of the present day with those of ten or fifteen years back, of 
which many are still in existence. And as such a wonderful 
improvement has been made in flowers, is it not reasonable 
to suppose that the same improvement could be made in 
roots also ? 
Now, the dahlia, like the potato, is a tuberous-rooted 
plant, consequently more analogous; and I frill here remark, 
that I have long been of an opinion, that dahlias and other 
tuberous-rooted plants have been subject to a disease similar 
to that of the potato. When taking up my roots lust autumn, 
I observed that of a fine root of Sir E. Antrobus, the tubers 
were covered with brown specks and blotches ; and this rotted 
during the winter, although under the same treatment as the 
others from which I have now a numerous and healthy stock 
Now, let me return to the point from which I started, namely, 
the old age of the plant, and ask whether any one who has 
written upon the potato disease has ever thought of the du- 
rative periods of existence of plants ? The duration of plants, 
like the life of animals, varies according to its species. 
“ The days of man shall be threescore years and ten.” (I 
suppose the average life of man to be about forty years), the 
horse so many, the sheep so many, and so on; and with 
plants we will begin with the annual of one year’s duration, 
the biennial of two, and the perennial lasting a number of 
years, but we are not to suppose that all perennials last the 
same number of years alike. No! hence the inference 
between them and animals ; some perennial plants last four, 
five, and seven years; others ten, fifteen, and twenty. But 
does any one know the average duration, or life, of the potato ? 
It is very doubtful! and when a favourite variety is obtained, 
it is grown year after year from the tubers, until the vital 
energies of the plant are exhausted, and it then follows the 
course of all things in nature; no one having bestowed a 
thought for the perpetuation of the same by means of seed¬ 
ling cultivation.* Nowq what do we arrive at, and what has 
the sowing of potato seeds to do with the disease ? I will tell 
you. That by a steady perseverance in seedling culture, 
there would always be in the market a regular supply of one 
year old tubers, young ones, not tainted with disease, so that 
an abundant and sound crop may be expected ; especially if 
the prescribed rules of the new system of potato culture be 
attended to. In reference to the seedlings, the most simple 
and easy plan that could be adopted would be to sow the 
seed thinly in frames on gentle heat, about the beginning of 
April; and when the spring frosts are over to plant them out 
into fresh ground—a light hazelly loam with out manure. But I 
think I hear some persons say, “ what a deal of trouble ! ” and 
in answer to them, I say that it amounts to a mere nothing, 
when compared with that of the dahlia; and perhaps some 
of the readers of The Cottage Gaedenee will he greatly 
astonished when I tell them that our large growers plant as 
much as three, four, and five acres of land with dahlias only. 
I think there never was a subject connected with horticulture 
against which so much prejudice exists, as that of the potato 
question ; but it is gradually wearing away ; and I am happy 
to find that Messrs. Hardy and Son, of Maldon, Essex, are 
in possession of such information, as to be able to convict of 
error the most prejudiced of minds ; and that those gentle- 
* This is not quite correct. There are several reports of experiments in 
raising potatoes from seeds, in which the seedlings are stated to have 
been aiiecUu mill the potato murrain as much as old potatoes were the 
same season. But we agree with our correspondent in thinking more 
extensive trials desirable. We should like to have some seedlings raised 
from seeds obtained direct from the wild plants in South America. Here 
could be no inherited disease.—E d. C. G. 
