THE COTTAGE GARDENER AND COUNTRY GENTLEMAN’S COMPANION, February 24, 1857. 353 
acted much more wisely if he had pitched a quantity all 
over, and if round the walls so much the better. So 
much do I value snow as a protector, that, in the case of 
cold pits, whenever there is any likelihood of the frost 
continuing, I should prefer not uncovering to removing 
the snow. If these are allowed to remain covered up 
some time two things must be attended to. The first is, 
that even more covering must go above the snow if there 
is any danger of the temperature inside getting so low 
as to be injurious. The second is, making sure that the 
atmosphere inclosed is so cold that the plants will not 
grow, averaging somewhere about 35°, or a trifle more. 
If much above that, tilt the sashes behind without un¬ 
covering until the temperature is low enough, and that 
will also guard against damping. In the heat of the day 
a little air may thus be frequently given, which will keep 
the interior cool and sweet. Be it clearly understood, 
however, that such a long night, from covering up for 
days, for a week, or a couple or more of weeks, is only 
safe when the temperature of the atmosphere inclosed is 
sufficiently low to prevent any stimulus to growth. Ten¬ 
th is idea, on which I have long acted and frequently 
recommended, as well as for many more, I believe I am 
indebted to the earlier writings of Mr. Errington. If the 
frost continues, and the litter and snow are insufficient 
until more protecting material is secured, stir the surface 
often of what you have got, and that will break the 
line of radiation. 
Watering. — After saying so much in previous 
volumes, I allude to it here for urging the greatest care 
and nicety in applying it to all cold houses and pits. 
In winter we generally have too much rather than too 
little moisture. No plant should be watered unless 
it be dry, and that should be done so as not to spill a 
drop. Would that those who aspire to be gardeners 
would think of this. No wonder that many an ex¬ 
perienced gardener feels his hat somewhat too small j 
when, contrary to explicit directions, he finds the 
bottom of a pit and the floor of a house puddled with i 
carelessly-dropped water. 
Quantity of Dung for various Hotbeds. —Several 
subscribers have referred to an article in the number 
for May 6th, 1856, and wish to know how many loads 
they will want for this and that, and I confess my 
inability to tell them, because a load is such an un¬ 
meaning terra. Look at the loads the market gardeners 
take from Loudon; but where will you get such loads 
in the country ? I recollect once obtaining consent to 
have ten loads of good long stable dung, and a stout 
fellow might have pitched the whole on fifteen barrows. 
Of course I was done for. When well worked your 
dung will scarcely be half the bulk it had in its green 
state. This will be a better criterion than any question j 
about loads; I could have piled the whole ten referred 
to upon one cart, and no extraordinary height either. 
Sowing Seeds oe Greenhouse Plants, Tender 
Annuals, &c. —Those who have plenty of means may 
do this in March ; those whose room is limited had 
better defer till the first or second week in April, and 
place them in a mild hotbed. They will be quite 
as strong as, and require much less care than, those 
sown earlier. The same remark applies to propagating 
Verbenas, Calceolarias, &c. Begin early with scarce 
kinds; but if you have abundance you will have least 
trouble with those inserted about two mouths before 
planting-out time. 
White Zelinda Dahlia for Bedding. —Late in the 
autumn Mr. Fleming, of Trentham, sent me a white 
Dahlia plant cut over at the surface of the ground. It 
was then full of flowers and flower-buds, standing boldly 
erect, and on strong foot-stalks, and in these respects 
much superior to the silver flower which I grew last 
year, or the one with a similar habit at the Crystal 
Palace, both drooping their flowers from the weakness 
of the peduncle or flower-stem. The height seemed to 
be from fifteen to eighteen inches. I believe it will be 
called the white Zelincla , and that some lucky man is to 
have the honour of letting it out this season. I have 
no doubt but it will give satisfaction. I give this in 
reply to many inquiries about dwarf Dahlias. I am 
sorry to say that I know of no good dwarf yellow as a 
neighbour for purple and white Zelinda, though I have 
heard rumours of several. I should be glad to give a 
dozen or more roots of purple Zelinda for a root of a 
bold yellow Dahlia no taller. R. Fish. 
POTATOES. 
WHICH ARE THE BEST KINDS? 
This being one of the seasons for planting this pre¬ 
eminently useful vegetable, and having some notes on 
the subject, I think they will prove useful and accept¬ 
able to most of the readers of The Cottage Gardener. 
The three qualities of most consequence in the Potato 
are, excellence for the table, a large yield in crop, and 
being free, or nearly so, from disease. 
The quality for the table is being light and mealy, and 
good flavour; the colour is not of much consequence. 
Some prefer a yellow, but by far the greater number of 
consumers choose the whitest they can get; any other 
colour is not pleasant. Potatoes of a large size are not 
commendable, because the outside is cooked enough be¬ 
fore the inside, whether boiled in water or steam; also, 
Potatoes with deep eyes are objectionable, because of the 
waste in paring. 
The second quality is, yielding a good crop. Here, 
again, a qualification is necessary. It is not a good sort 
that yields three or four large Potatoes and a consider¬ 
able number of small ones. It is much preferable to 
have them nearly all of a fair size. Where there are 
a great number of small ones there is a temptation to 
plant such for seed, and the consequence is, that sort 
soon degenerates and becomes worthless. Yellow Pota¬ 
toes are nearly out of culture; therefore a good Potato 
may be described as being white, mealy, well-fla¬ 
voured, middle-sized, and a good cropper, with as little 
tendency to disease as possible. As the Potato is so 
almost universally approved of, kinds should be grown 
to last all the year. The sorts, then, may be divided 
into early, second early, and late varieties. 
EARLY VARIETIES. 
1. Oldbury Kidney .—In my opinion, and I am borne 
out in that opinion by the almost universal consent of 
all growers, there is no early Potato yet raised that 
surpasses what is known about Sheffield, Retford, Not¬ 
tingham, and various other towns in that neighbourhood, 
as the Oldbury Kidney. It is said to have been raised 
near Retford originally, but that is rather questionable. 
However, it is a most excellent kind either for forcing 
in pots or frames, on warm early borders, or in the open 
quarters. It matures early, and is rarely diseased ; it is 
also of good quality in every respect. I do not believe 
it is much if any different from the variety called the 
Ash-leaf or Walnut-leaf. In good soil they will all be 
very similar. Perhaps the Walnut leaf has a somewhat 
smaller stem, but that I think arises from the soil. This 
kind, then, may be considered the best yet known. It 
has the peculiarity that it never, or very rarely indeed, 
produces any flbvvers; hence there are so few varieties 
of it. 
Many years ago I tried to make it flower and bear 
seed (that is, as they are called, “ Potato Crabs ”), and I 
succeeded in one or two instances. The way I managed 
this was as follows:—I placed the few sets I intended for 
that purpose on the surface of a piece of ground made 
i 
