470 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
March 27, 1886. 
WHITE POTATOS. 
In spite of the freedom with which coloured Potatos 
are produced, and especially are they abundant in 
American kinds, yet the whites are still largely the 
most numerous and acceptable. Probably the fact that 
white-skinned Potatos are in most favour, apart 
altogether from flavour, cropping, and other qualities, 
arising, perhaps, from prejudice in regard to colour of 
skin, conduces materially to this greater abundance. 
Certainly we can find two good white kinds to one 
coloured one in ordinary cultivation. Some of the 
handsomest of coloured kinds unfortunately carry their 
skin-hues into the flesh, and that is objectionable. 
Many an otherwise capital and handsome kind has had 
to be condemned for that reason, and even some of the 
kinds now in commerce have that failing, more or less. 
Whites, however, are never afflicted with that failing ; 
hence they are more reliable. 
But the other day one of our leading growers of 
Potatos for exhibition invited me to give him a selected 
eighteen kinds, round and kidney, of wdiite-skinned 
forms, from which to select a dozen from when grown 
and lifted. Wanting at least twelve kinds for exhi¬ 
bition, he was wise to grow as many as eighteen sorts 
to choose from. As far as possible I gave a selection 
which comprised really high-class table kinds, for it -was 
held as important that they should be as good for cook¬ 
ing as for show. Now the kidneys were Midsummer 
Kidney, one of the finest and best of all earlies, and 
wanting to be far more widely known. It is long and 
roundish in form, handsome, and may always be dis¬ 
tinguished by the readiness -with which it purples after 
several days’ exposure to the light. New Reading, a 
handsome second-early kind, flattish, yet long, and 
very distinct. Snowdrop, also a long flattish kind,, 
with snowflake-like foliage, a good cropper, handsome, 
and good quality. Edgecote Seedling came next, one 
of the best of the Lapstone breed, and yet has a dark 
top, and not one of the usual Lapstone type when found 
true. Then Cosmopolitan, a fine handsome kidney, 
second early, beautiful nutty quality, and a good 
cropper. 
Woodstock Kidney also is one of our best Potatos, 
though in some seasons much subject to disease. Still 
it is very handsome and of beautiful quality. Chan¬ 
cellor is a late robust kind, producing very fine hand¬ 
some tubers, usually rather oval in shape, and very 
distinct ; it is a grand main crop Potato. Fidler’s 
Prolific, a fine cropping flattish kidney, is also a first 
class sort. Finally, from the same raiser as the 
preceding, the Colonel is a grand flattish kidney also, 
and one that only needs to be known and grown to be 
universally esteemed. Turning to white rounds, it is 
evident that the handsomest of all the new ones, and 
first class for cropping, and table also, is London Hero ; 
flattish pebble shaped, and produces, probably, more 
exhibition tubers than any other variety. 
Schoolmaster still remains the best and handsomest 
of its strain, and in spite of a tendency in some soils to 
become knobbed, it always gives a fine show sample. 
First and Best thoirgh somewhat resembling that 
known favourite Porter’s Excelsior, yet has a higher 
table reputation, and always gives capital samples, for 
it is a true round, and is very handsome. Snowball 
turns out tubers as round as those of Schoolmaster, and 
almost as fine in good ground, and yet it is early, has 
a dwarf top, and admirable for warm borders. It is of 
the best quality, and is very handsome. Of fine 
quality also is Early Regent, one of the very best of its 
strain, and much handsomer than the Regent section, 
with which it is associated only in name. It is a fine 
cropping and generally good Potato. Sunrise is a fine 
mid-season round, rather oval shaped, a large cropper 
and of capital quality. Prime Minister, usually throws 
broadish flat round tubers, large and handsome, and of 
superb quality. This is a fine main crop kind, and 
worthy of cultivation in garden or field. Fidler’s 
Success is also of an indefinite shape, but rather a 
longish flat round as a rale ; a beautiful Potato, and a 
heavy cropper. Finally, of free cropping whites, is 
M.P., something of a Climax form, but home raised, 
and a capital Potato. It has a spreading top, is of mid¬ 
season ripening, and is very valuable for early winter 
use. Here then is a list of eighteen kinds, and I am 
sure that any good show dozen will include many of 
them. Of course there are other good kinds, and of 
sorts that produce tubers of good quality, yet are not 
absolutely handsome; these are legion, as also there 
are still with us many kinds, that if handsome, are yet 
not good when cooked ; but these are fast being driven 
out of cultivation. It is certain that exhibitors will 
always prefer sorts of first class table quality, if they 
know them, and can obtain them. The more growers 
who cultivate the older and less worthy American 
sorts, replace them with some of the best home raised 
new ones, the better for them and for all who have a 
liking for good mealy Potatos.— A. D. 
-- 
NOTES ON HEPATIOAS. 
The Hepaticas constitute a small though valuable 
genus among spring-flowering plants, a genus peculiarly 
innocent and exquisite coming in the very dawn of 
spring, but which like all else at the present time, is far 
behind its wonted flowering period. This is due to 
the extraordinary prolonged season of severe weather, a 
season which will long be remembered, and which will 
serve as a reference in future years. For weeks past 
everything in the garden outside has been almost at a 
dead standstill, and plants generally under glass 
have to a greater or less degree been suffering from the 
lack of sun. Some six weeks ago the Hepaticas were 
prominent in bud just ready to emerge from the sod, 
and there was little or no change in them until the 
warm bright sunshine and the genial showers came a 
few days ago to free them from the frost-bound clod. 
Now the beauties of spring will soon surround us, and 
included in them will be found the little group under 
notice. 
This genus like many others suffered great losses 
during the great war which for years raged between 
the old and new bedding plants of our gardens, when 
many of om- choicest old favourites were ignomini- 
ously expelled—swept as it were by a mighty wind 
hither and thither—into a few remote corners, where 
they remained hidden from the rage and fury of the 
blast, and which when over were allowed to emerge 
again into fashion, and have since been eagerly sought 
after. Still the huge clumps which were to be seen 
formerly in so many cottage gardens are to day no more, 
and instead of being among every day occurences they 
are the rarities. They are now, however, becoming 
comparatively cheap, for good clumps may be had for a 
shilling, and very good-sized plants for even less than 
this, so that those who are in favour of them may yet 
acquire them if they will. 
A partially shaded spot is that which they prefer, in 
light sandy loam, and if leaf-soil is abundant do not be 
afraid of using it, for these little gems fully repay well 
doing ; if the soil be disposed to be clayey or stiff, use 
abundance of sharp road grit or river sand, and once 
well planted let them remain. Mulch annually with 
well rotted manure and decayed leaves, for they produce 
an almost incredible number of fibres below' as com¬ 
pared with leaf growth. The varieties are now' somewhat 
numerous, and from these it is easy to select some good 
and distinct kinds with very pleasing shades of colour. 
The shades of blue from collected plants is remarkable, 
varying from the type to rich bright blue, while others 
are of a pure celestial shade, and some of a decided 
lilac tint. Some of the better known kinds are H. 
Americana, H. angulosa, and H. acutiloba ; these three 
are North American species, that second named being 
the largest in all its parts of the entire group, and cer¬ 
tainly a very handsome species. H. triloba is European, 
and has been an inhabitant of our gardens for more 
than three hundred years. It is of this last that the 
numerous forms referred to above issue. The best of 
the singles are triloba alba, ccerulea, ccerulea major, 
lilacina, rosea and rubra, while in doubles wc 
have the double blue, a still rare plant, and double 
red; and lastly I would mention the two pecu¬ 
liarities of this group, i.e., the two forms of H. triloba 
alba, with red and white stamens respectively, both 
very pretty in themselves, but which might be com¬ 
pletely hidden if a label bearing their cumbrous names 
were placed before them. Here they are in full— 
Hepatica triloba alba staminibus albus (this is the 
single white with white stamens), and Hepatica triloba 
alba staminibus rubrus (the white with red stamens). 
Such names as these do nothing to make hardy 
plants popular, which should be our chief aim. The 
double kinds may only be increased by division ; all 
the singles are readily increased by seeds and division. 
If the seed is sown as soon as ripe, and covered with a 
i in. of fine soil, upon which place a slate, they will 
remain uninfluenced by rain or sun, and neither cats 
nor birds can molest them.— J. 
A HOME FOR FLOWERS. 
( Concluded from p. 458 .) 
It is a fact that in the Swanley houses zonal Pelar¬ 
goniums are never out of bloom, and exhibit their 
glorious colours rarely more finely than during winter. 
Of doubles there is a huge collection, but these have 
undergone so much hard cutting to give flowers and 
cuttings for sending away, that bloom is now scarce. 
Still, there is here, perhaps, the best collection in the 
world, for every new kind at home or abroad is at once 
obtained and grown. Ivy-leaf, gold and silver tricolors 
and bicolors, and all other varieties, not excepting the 
rich-blooming, large-flowered and fancy sections, the 
regal kinds especially, are here by thousands, all look¬ 
ing the picture of rude health. One of the best to 
furnish early white flowers is White Yenus, a great 
beauty, and very free. A couple of dozens of plants 
of this kind in any good garden would prove invaluable. 
It is worthy of remark that all cuttings are put singly 
into small 60’s, and once rooted, the further progress 
is rapid. 
Two of these long houses arefullof Cyclamens in bloom, 
presenting a remarkable sight ; the strains, especially 
of the giganteum section of persicum, are wondrously 
fine, and the quality of the flowers first class. Mr. 
Cannell is too good a judge of Cyclamens to grow 
rubbish, and he has ample opportunities offered him at 
South Kensington to take stock of what is the best 
market strains to make mistakes. It is pretty certain 
that all the skill in Cyclamen culture is not limited to 
the market men. Some 20,000 plants are reared 
annually, and the seedling batch for next winter's 
blooming, now in small 60’s and thumbs, is as good a 
lot as can be seen in the kingdom. 
Then there are some three or four houses filled to the 
utmost with those beautiful winter flowers, Chinese 
Primroses, single and double. Of the former the Swanley 
strain is of the very finest, that grand selection from 
Swanley Red, Improvement, standing out with fine 
distinctiveness for the size and rich madder-red hue of 
its flowers, and the robust habit of the plants. White 
Perfection is a glorious form, the flowers of great size 
and substance, and resembling enamel. Those are 
allied to elegant reddish Fern foliage. It is, indeed, a 
beautiful strain. Lovely also is Princess of Wales, a 
delicate blush ; Swanley Giant is a grand reddish purple; 
and Swanley Purple resembles that, but has deeper 
hued flowers. The Queen is a grand white kind, and 
Swanley Blue, probably, is as good as any other of the 
blue-flowered strain in cultivation. Swanley Stripe is 
a beautiful flaked form, with immense blooms. The 
pretty crimson-hued punctatum form, so far seldom 
seen with large flowers, has here given a superb 
coloured seedling of good size. There are several other 
fine seedlings of the present year, and these again are 
being further cross-fertilised. Whether due to strain or 
to the good cultivation afforded, certainly the Swanley 
Primulas are of all hues of the stoutest and most robust 
I have met with. Doubles, too, are very largely grown, 
indeed, one house is full of them, including all Gilbert’s 
and other raiser’s finest kinds. Eva Fish, Annie 
Hillier, Lord Beaconsfield, Marchioness of Exeter, &c., 
are all finely grown ; and of the old double white and 
fimbriata plena there are myriads of big plants full of 
blooms. This is about to be sacrificed to enable propa¬ 
gation to proceed. 
Although another of the Swanley specialities, tuberous 
Begonias, make no great show at present, they are 
grown in enormous quantities. Many tubers are potted 
and pushing growth, thousands are yet lying dormant 
for the supply of trade orders, whilst of seedlings yet in 
the nursery boxes they are a multitude. Mr. Cannell 
has some over one hundred shallow boxes, about the 
usual bloater-box size, and there are probably not less, 
perhaps many more, than 40,000 seedlings nearly ready 
to prick off. What a long and tedious job for someone 
presently, and how this great number illustrates the 
undoubted popularity of what is, without exception, 
the most popular of all the summer-blooming plants of 
the day. 
Cinerarias are one of the spring specialities here, and 
just now both double and single kinds are in fine form, 
the former in strong plants just bursting into bloom, 
are in large numbers, and in a few weeks will present a 
striking display. There is here, perhaps, the best col¬ 
lection of these curious and interesting flowers to be 
found in the kingdom. Of singles those fine selected 
kinds, Victory, a glorious crimson, and March Past, a 
