THE GARDENING WORLD. 
January 2, 1886. 
POTATOS AND FLAVOUR. 
It is one of Nature's secrets which has yet to be 
discovered, “What gives flavour?” Of course when 
one gets sublimated—to the pitch of a connoisseur in 
wines—one would put the question differently, and 
say, “Whence comes aroma or bouquet?” But what 
holds true in wine of the rarest vintages, is true also of 
all fruits and vegetables. In both of these depart¬ 
ments of earth produce, there is something in the soil, 
which evolves, or refines, flavour to a very curious 
extent. 
Of course, it is admitted that there is a great deal in 
variety and also in respect of sites. Yet sunshine and 
rain—and the action and reaction of each upon the 
other—do not originate flavour ; for not all the sun¬ 
shine and rain in the Vorld will ever make a Sweet¬ 
water Grape taste like a Muscatel, a Beefing Apple like a 
Ribston Pippin, a grey Pea like a marrowfat, or a loaf 
made from any red wheat as light and sweet as if the 
miller had ground Talavera, or any one of the American 
bred Potatos like a Yorkshire Regent or Fluke. 
Allowing all the distinctions which the subtle conse¬ 
quences of something antecedent to the ripening of the 
first seed whence a variety sprung, why does a variety 
of fruit or vegetable taste very differently from different 
soils. 
No one can deny that this is so. Let us dismiss all 
the general question ; let us forget fruits, get out 
of greens, cut cereals, and place all our attention upon 
the most remarkable of roots, the bite noir of Cobbett 
the crux of political economists, the darling of Paddy, 
and of every mutton chop eater in the universe—the 
indispensable Potato. 
If one reads the market reports of the districts where¬ 
in Potato growing is a prominent part of the farmer’s 
business one is at once met by the acknowledgment 
of the influence of soils. One sees, no doubt, that there 
is a wide discrepancy between the price of Regents,- 
Champions, Victorias, and Magnums. Still, it is also 
claimed that soils, too, make variations of value. The 
Scotch talk of the superiority of “ the red soil ” Regents. 
What are the special characteristics of those red soils ; 
and what is the peculiar merit which they confer upon 
the Potatos grown within them? 
The present writer has, in a humble way, experi¬ 
mented with Potatos for above forty years. He has 
tried almost all the old kinds, and continued to try 
the new ones until American sorts came in upon 
us like a flood, and all the old familiar names 
were submerged. In Potatos—as in so much besides_ 
“ shows ” exercise a distracting influence. We have to 
submit to show 7 Potatos as to show poultry ; and to see 
every kind of peculiarity held up to honour—except 
the homely one that “they bile well ” and “ eat like 
a nut. ” Of course the last simile has regard to flavour 
only. The charm of a nut is that it takes some biting. 
The perfection of a Potato is that it melts in the mouth 
and requires no mastication at all. 
Now, what must a soil have to induce this pecu¬ 
liarity—this co-existence of the filbert flavour, and 
the consistency of whipped cream ? It is very easy to 
point out what prevents these peculiarities in the 
Potato, which, even more than Mr. Stiggin’s butter- 
toast, deserves the phrase of “agreeable comestible.” 
Possibly, if one had to make one’s living wholly out of 
Potatos, the quick melting in one’s mouth would not 
be altogether so desirable. But where the Potato is taken 
as an adjunct to a broil, the flesh of the tuber cannot 
well be too tender, or resemble too much that biblical 
standard of the ne plus ultra of good eating—“the 
finest wdieat flour.” How do soils bring out this 
peculiarity in the Potato ? for it is an accepted fact 
that they do. 
Plaving noticed how much the vital force of the 
earlier vatieties of Potato was increased by taking up 
the seed when not half grown, roasting it in the full 
heat of a midsummer sun, preserving it in a dry light 
store during the wdnter months, it was determined to 
find if seed so invigorated yielded a produce of higher 
flavour. Of course it would not do to take up Potatos 
for cooking in the same premature condition which 
renders them the best of seed. It is with Potatos, as 
with Apples—the longer they are allowed to mature 
where they have grown, the finer the flavour. But 
would the same seed produce the same flavoured crop 
on all soils ? If not, on what kind of soil would the 
finest flavoured tubers be obtained ? 
Now it is an ascertained truth that the influence of 
a soil upon the quality of a Potato increases as the 
natural vital forces diminish. A vigorous young 
seedling is like a wilful lad or lass. In the heyday of 
youth it will take its own course, and be waxy in con¬ 
sistence and strongly tasted, let the soil be what it 
may. 
It is when youthful vigour is declining that the 
Potato becomes amenable to discipline. Varieties— 
which when first sent out as seedlings were tough and 
rough flavoured—break up as they get age, and grow 
of finer quality year by year. This truth has been 
widely exemplified in the Champion sort. It is now, on 
favourable soils, almost as mealy as the Regent, only 
inferior because its deep eyes will always make it a 
kind which involves not only waste in peeling, but 
requires some skill not to pare away the best flavoured 
portion, i.e., that which is nearest to the skin. It 
would now seem the same law is fulfilling itself with 
the fine Potato called Magnum Bonum. Big it always 
was, but never good till recently ; and it has found 
tenderness and flavour, where so many other varieties 
have achieved these excellencies before, i.e ., through 
being planted, when in declining vigour, upon a “red 
soil.” 
This is the sum of the experiments by the present 
writer in 1885. He has made the Magnum as tender 
a flesh as was the Fluke, and with as admirable a 
flavour—or perhaps it would be better to say “absence 
of flavour.” Perfection in a Potato is, not that it 
should leave a distinct taste upon the tongue, but that 
it should enhance all other flavours taken with it. 
Magnum seed, specially saved and treated, was planted 
in 1885 upon three different soils—A, on a drained peat 
morass, i.e., black soil dressed, after the water had 
been cut off, with sand. The crop was large, the 
tubers handsome : when cooked, detestable. B, on a 
rich deep loam on a brick earth. Here the dry season 
arrested growth too soon. The plants made a second 
growth when the rain fell in August and September, 
and the crop is very uneven ; the best are fair-flavoured 
only, and the worst are as bad as a Potato can be. C, 
was on the red gravel, which has with it a certain 
amount of vegetable matter, having been dressed with 
decayed quick-grass. 
Not a particle of manure of any kind was ap¬ 
plied, natural or chemical; the seed tubers were 
entrusted to the soil as it was when broken up from two- 
year grass. The experiment is in all respects a success 
—a crop of moderate bulk of medium-sized tubers only 
has been secured, all of which boil to perfection, where¬ 
from it is inferred that “flavour”—so far as Potatos 
are concerned—is to be found in a thin crop, planted 
with wide intervals on a dry “red soil,” uncon¬ 
taminated by strong manures.— A. P., in The Field. 
-—>X<—- 
PLANTS FOR TABLE ORNAMENT. 
( Concluded from p. 268.) 
Crotons.— The numerous varieties that are now 
cultivated render it somewhat difficult to make a 
selection, as all are more or less beautiful, and a good 
deal will depend upon individual taste. Many of the 
varieties vary considerably under different treatment, 
but the older forms may be considered as the most 
useful, as they are not so liable to sport, and are more 
constant in their variegation than some of the newer 
sorts. C. angustifolius, although it seems to have 
been somewhat neglected, it is, under good cultivation, 
one of the most elegant and useful of all the genus ; 
C. Johannis, and C. elegantissima, are both useful 
sorts belonging to the same section ; C. majesticus, 
is also one of the best old sorts ; and C. Youngi, is 
another good variety of similar habit ; C. Earl of 
Derby, C. Queen Victoria, C. undulatus, C. Evansianus, 
C. Weismanni, C. massangeana, C. Comte de Germany, 
C. Warrenii, C. gloriosum, are all useful sorts and will 
furnish a good variety. 
In growing Crotons on for table decoration it is a 
good plan to propagate good sized well coloured tops, 
with a little care these will root very freely, and good 
plants may be had in a very short time with well 
developed foliage down to the base of the plants. To 
obtain well coloured plants they must be grown where 
they are fully exposed to the sun, and soot-water may 
be used liberally as soon as the pots are filled with roots. 
Red spider and thrips are great enemies to Crotons, and 
if not kept well in check they will soon prove very 
injurious to the plants, and when they get a good hold 
it is very difficult to eradicate them, especially in the 
sorts with twisted leaves. 
Ferns.— There are not many Fem3 that will do 
much service for table decoration ; as, although, many 
are very beautiful, yet it is only a few that will stand 
the dry atmosphere that table plants are usually subject 
to. The tall growing varieties of Pteris serrulata are 
among the most serviceable; P. cretiea, is also very 
useful; P. tremula, P. argyrea, this is very useful, 
especially when grown in combination with such sorts as 
P. hastata, P. cretica, P. serrulata, or any of the hardier 
sorts of Adiantums. Many other combinations may be 
made which will be equally serviceable, the choice of 
which may be made according to individual taste. If 
Ferns are grown where they are well exposed to the 
light, it will give the foliage a more pleasing hue, 
besides which the plants will stand exposure better. 
— A. Hemsley. 
--*$<-- 
THE DELL, EG-HAM. 
Those who have had the good fortune to see the collec¬ 
tion of Orchids at The Dell have no doubt been as much 
gratified with their visit as I was with mine on Dec. 
23rd. I had the great pleasure of being shown round 
by Baron Schroder and Mr. Ballantine, his able gar¬ 
dener, and a more agreeable time I never spent, as both 
are well versed in Orchid culture, and knowing the 
pedigree and history of most of the plants, their obser¬ 
vations were specially interesting. The Baron is a great 
enthusiast in Orchid culture, and his superb collection 
is in grand condition, and contains many choice things 
that it would be difficult to match. Many of the rarest 
and finest varieties of the most valuable Orchids are 
here to be met with, and, what is more, in good healthy 
plants, and, in some instances, fine specimens also. 
The Baron has done a wise thing in buying the very 
best varieties of each individual class that it is possible 
to procure, as he has none but what are really good, 
and the gratification and pleasure derived from such a 
collection is thereby greatly enhanced. Again, both the 
Baron and his gai'dener are ever willing to enlighten 
anyone interested in this beautiful family, or to learn 
from anyone who may be in a position to give 
practical hints. 
To enumerate all the gems at The Dell would occupy 
too much space ; but it may be of interest to many to 
hear that the following are now amongst the many in 
flower in the collection :—Lselia anceps alba, a pure 
white form of anceps, a very fine plant with two spikes ; 
this is a grand acquisition, quite distinct and very rare. 
Lfelia anceps, sold at Stevens’ Rooms as a white Raffia, 
and imported by Shuttleworth, Carder & Co., is in 
flower in fine masses. L. anceps Dawsoni, is also 
nicely in flower, one plant carrying six spikes with four 
flowers on each. 
Raffia autumnalis and Leelia autumnalis venusta 
a fine variety, are also in flower ; and Cattleya 
triophthalma, a Chelsonian hybrid with six flowers, 
proves its claim to be considered a valuable winter- 
floweringOrcliid. Cattleya Percivaliana, C. Dominiana, 
C. Trianse Dodgsoniae, fine plants and very fine 
varieties indeed. Of Cypripediums in bloom I noted 
insigne, insigne punctatum, insigne Maulei, Leeanum 
superbum (very fine), Spicerianum (several and very 
fine), vexillarium (rare), Harrisianum superbum, Hay- 
naldianum, and concolor. These are all represented by 
grand varieties and nice plants of each. Angrsecum 
eburneum carried four fine spikes. Of Dendrobium 
bigibbum there are many fine varieties, and conspicu¬ 
ously amongst them was bigibbum album, while the 
lovely sweet-scented D. heterocarpum filled the air with 
its perfume. 
Bollea Lalindei is a very curious Orchid and not 
often seen, especially in such good condition. Of 
Odontoglossums the collection contains many extra¬ 
ordinary fine forms of Alexandra*, grand plants, good 
spikes, and such grand varieties! 0. Wilkeanum 
Godefroyii, a perfect gem, is in flower, with seventeen 
blooms on a spike. It is of the Alexandra type, with 
a background of pale yellow evenly spotted with very 
bright brown, fine shaped flowers of grand form and 
substance, and perfectly distinct. Many plants of 0. 
Pescatorei are throwing up fine spikes, among them the 
finest form yet seen, 0. Pescatorei Veitchianum. 
Those who have seen this in flower cannot but agree 
with me that it is the best in cultivation. Of Oncidium 
varieosum, many fine spikes are conspicuous ; the 
bright Sophronitis grandiflora is represented in many 
