THE COTTAGE GARDENEK AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION, September 22, 1857. 387 
WEEKLY CALENDAR. 
D 
M 
1 
| 0? 
SEPTEMBER 22—28, 1857. 
Weather he 
Barometer. 
ab London in 
Thermo. Wind. 
1856. 
Rain in 
Inches. 
Sun 
Rises. 
Sun 
Sets. 
Moon 
R.&S. 
Moon’s 
Age. 
Clock 
af. Sun. 
Day of 
Year. 
22 
Tu 
Grass of Parnassus. 
29.510—29.244 
65—47 
S.W. 
18 
48 a. 5 
56 a. 5 
6 
56 
4 
7 
21 
265 
23 
W 
Genista pilosa. 
29.235—29.175 
66—45 
S.W. 
04 
49 
55 
7 
17 
5 
7 
42 
266 
24 
Th 
Silaus pratensis. 
29.231—29.070 
66—42 
S.W. 
20 
51 
53 
7 
47 
6 
8 
3 
267 
25 
F 
Bupleurum tenuissimum. 
29.510—29.241 
63—39 
S.W. 
05 
53 
51 
8 
30 
7 
S 
23 
268 
26 
S 
Celery (Apium graveolens). 
29.657—29.374 
63—45 
S.W. 
27 
54 
48 
9 
27 
D 
s 
44 
269 
27 
Sun 
16 Sunday after Trinity. 
29.138—28.968 
55—46 
s. 
01 
56 
46 
10 
37 
9 
9 
4 
270 
28 
M 
Shepherd’s Staff (Dipsacus). 
29.002—28,722 
64—46 
s. 
13 
_5 7 
44 
11 
56 
10 
9 
24 
271 
Meteorology of the Week.— At Chiswick, from observations during the last twenty-eight years, the average highest and lowest 
temperatures of these days are 65.7°, and 44.6°, respectively. The greatest heat, 82°, occurred on the 25th, in 1832 ; and the lowest cold, 26°, 
on the 26 th, in 1855. During the period 97 days were fine, and on 99 rain fell. * 
THE POTATO DISEASE AND ITS 
PREVENTION. 
It is a melancholy truth that the murrain called the 
Potato disease prevails to a great extent this season. 
Many able and learned writers have tried to account for 
this mysterious visitation, some asserting that it is caused 
by electricity, others think that wet seasons have a great 
and evil effect upon this vegetable, and some think it is 
brought on by exhaustion or old age in any particular 
variety. 
As every writer has his favourite theory on this 
matter I trust I shall be excused if I differ from so 
many conflicting opinions, and give my view of the 
subject. 
I need scarcely refer to the fact that the tubers of 
Potatoes are not seed, though we hear growers con¬ 
tinually using the term “ seed Potatoes.” To such as 
may not have given it a thought I may say that the 
Potato is a continuation of the original plant raised 
from true seed, which seed is produced from the stems 
of the plants, inclosed in a fleshy receptacle or berry. 
These, from their shape and ill taste, are often called 
Potato Crabs. When ripe the seed is perfect, and to 
those who have time, means, and inclination, I would 
say, gather these berries, crush them, and throw them 
into a vessel containing water, then stir them about till 
the pulp is separated from the seed, and pass it through 
a sieve with a mesh fine enough to retain the seed, 
which then should be spread upon some strong paper, 
and gradually dried in the sun. When that takes place 
collect the whole together, give it a gentle rubbing to 
remove any impurities, and wrap it in dry paper till the 
sowing season arrives. 
To insure perfect success a slight hotbed should be 
put together about the middle of April, and, as soon 
as the heat is moderated, cover the bed with soil from 
four to five inches thick, make the surface smooth 
and fine, and then sow the seed, covering it slightly 
with fine-sifted, light soil. If you have a frame with a 
glass light it will be of great service, but if not stretch 
hoops over the bed, and cover the bed with mats or 
oiled canvass. The seedlings will quickly come up; 
then give very gentle waterings and plenty of air. Be 
careful to protect the young and tender plants from 
frost, heavy rains, and scorching sun. 
Whilst this process is going on prepare a piece of 
ground in an open situation large enough to hold all 
the plants. Do not make it too rich with manure; in 
fact, if it is in good condition do not use any manure 
at all. 
As soon as it is certain that frosts are over, and the 
plants are three or four inches high, transplant them 
into the prepared ground in rows eighteen inches apart, 
and nine inches from plant to plant in the rows. Keep 
the ground between the rows clear of weeds by frequent 
hoeings, and when the plants are nine inches high give 
them a slight earthing up. They will now require no 
further care excepting the deeply interesting one of 
watching their growth, and any peculiarity of foliage or 
habit of growth denoting new features in any of the 
plants. Seedlings, I have observed, sooner form bulbs 
or tubers than older varieties, nature being, as it were, 
anxious to secure a progeny to continue the species. 
The cultivator will now require great judgment and dis¬ 
crimination in selecting such varieties as may appear to 
him worthy of further trial. I can only give hints to 
guide his judgment. Such as have deep, wide eyes are 
objectionable because of the waste in preparing for 
the table. Large strong stems are also undesirable, for 
the obvious reason that they take up too much room. 
The colour of the Potato when cooked is also a point 
worthy of consideration, for though such as have a 
yellow tinge are preferred by some, yet a white mealy 
Potato is most highly valued by nine-tenths of the con¬ 
sumers. Size is a point also to be duly looked to. Very 
large Potatoes are only useful to feed pigs or other 
animals with, and very small ones are neither profitable 
nor useful. Shape, in respect to their being round or 
kidney-shaped, is of little moment. 
To sum up all the good points in a few words, they 
consist in—1. Short tops. 2. Shallow eyes. 3. White 
colour when cooked. 4. Light and mealy. 5. Medium 
even size. 6. Plenty of produce in small space. 
Having obtained one or more varieties possessing all 
those good qualities the raiser will not only have gratified 
himself, but also conferred a benefit upon his fellow 
creatures. 
At an Exhibition of cottagers’ vegetables held at 
Eccles, near Manchester, on Saturday, the 12th ultimo, 
I noticed three seedlings of different varieties raised by 
a cottager named John Aldred. One he named Sole , 
because it was in shape something like a Fluke Potato, 
and the other two were not named. They all promise 
to be valuable varieties. It was the fact of seeing those 
beautiful varieties that set me thinking upon the matter, 
and considering whether it would not be possible to 
keep these, and other young healthy varieties hereafter 
to be raised, from becoming diseased. 
I saw recently in a local paper that the disease was 
brought on in a certain locality by a thunder-storm. 
This is another theory of the cause of this disease just 
about as likely as any other assigned cause. My opinion 
twenty years ago was the same as it is now, namely, 
that the disease is caused in the first place by taking 
up the seed Potatoes long after they are ripe, or, in 
other words, fully matured for cooking. This ripe state 
having been attained by the ancestors of this genera¬ 
tion of Potatoes, and being now continued, it naturally 
follows that the growing powers are weaker and weaker, 
until at last the disease takes the entire plant, the stems 
and leaves turn black, and nearly the whole crop is gone. 
It may be that a peculiar state of the atmosphere may 
materially assist the rapid decomposition of the crop 
after the disease has begun; but it is not the main or 
first cause. If that portion of the crop which is intended 
for seed had been secured before the dry or ripe, mealy 
state had taken place, they would have been saved 
No. CCCCLXIX. Vol. XVIII 
