October 11, 1890. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
87 
has since been pronounced worthless for this purpose, 
being practically non-tuberous. 
So far as is known, nothing very serious befel the 
Potato crop for some 250 years after its introduction 
till within the memory of many still with us. There 
is some evidence of a disease described as the “curl,’’which 
appeared in various districts at different intervals 
of time, but w'e have never met with any evidence 
that can conheet it with our dread enemy, scientifically 
known as Peronospora infestans, which fastened itself 
upon the Potato crop in 1844 with the most disastrous 
results, producing the greatest alarm and consternation 
in this country ; and from then till the present time 
it has remained with us, the annual visitation varying 
in intensity owing to the different atmospheric con¬ 
ditions prevailing during the critical period in the 
growth of the tubers, which seems to be when they 
have nearly matured their growth and commencedsetting 
their skins. Where this disease came from will most 
likely always remain a mystery, but I well remember 
that there was a wide spread belief at the time of 
the outbreak that the introduction and use of Peruvian 
guano was at the bottom of the mischief. The disease 
made its appearance shortly after the introduction of 
guano, which was in 1839, the Potato blight coming in 
1844. I well remember the burning of the soil being 
advocated, on the assumption that it was poisoned 
from the frequency with which Potatos had been grown 
upon it. Again, very early in the history of the 
visitation, the raising of new varieties from seed was 
advocated by a few who thought, what is a widespread 
belief now, that propagating the crop from tubers 
through a long succession of years had a tendency to 
enfeeble the constitution of the plant, and that the 
disease was engendered thereby. 
Looking back, it seems somewhat'strange that this 
idea did not bear much practical fruit till some twenty- 
five years ago, for previous to that time the number of 
varieties in cultivation was very limited, and with 
few exceptions we rarely meet with those old sorts. 
The Ashleaf in its various forms still holds its own as 
a first early kind, and it is often asserted that the new¬ 
fangled productions placed on exhibition tables by 
enthusiastic cultivators of the noble tuber, are no 
match as respects flavour and mealiness for the old 
Regents and Flourballs. But it is well said that 
distance lends enchantment to the view, and on the 
same principle it may justly be said that many 
things that seemed sweet and pleasant in our youth, 
if they were presented to us in precisely the same state 
now, would convey a somewhat different impression. 
At the same time I well knew a variety called Snow¬ 
ball, about the years 1851 to 1854 [It was largely 
grown in the midland counties.—E d.] whose equal, 
when cooked, I should much like to find even now, for 
I cannot admit that any advance on it in flavour or 
cooking quality has since been made, but as regards 
symmetry and capacity for resisting the inroads of 
disease great strides have been made. 
During the last twenty-five years, comparatively 
humble and obscure workers have, by raising new 
varieties, rendered great and lasting benefits to this 
country. They have been content to plod on at their 
pet hobby, and have received but little pecuniary 
reward; their labours have been decried in many 
quarters, a common assertion being that neither form 
nor beauty of skin had anything to do with the 
quality of the tuber. Those, however, to whom we are 
indebted for these improvements, have long since 
tasted the sweets of victory in the daily evidence there 
is that well-formed and shallow-eyed Potatos, the 
quality being good, constantly command higher prices 
than deep-eyed and ungainly samples, whose cultivation 
ought long since to have been abandoned. As raisers 
of new kinds in our own country, the names of Fenn, 
Dean and Clarke deserve to be kept in lasting remem¬ 
brance. Robert Fenn had been labouring at Woodstock, 
raising varieties, perfect in quality, but deficient in 
robustness and productiveness, long before the American 
introductions began to arrive. These were mostly 
deficient in quality, but were Temarkable for their 
productiveness, and Mr. Fenn was one of the first to 
utilise these as parents, crossing them with some of the 
best of his own seedlings. The outcome was a 
progeny of really grand varieties, among which may be 
mentioned Reading Russet, Prizetaker, Early Regent, 
and Fiftyfold. 
Possibly the most important result obtained from 
the production of new kinds proceeded from the raising 
of the famous Magnum Bonum by Mr. Clarke, of Christ 
Church, and any resume of Potato history would be 
very incomplete without some reference to it, because 
its advent brought into play, influences which have 
been far reaching in their results. Previous to its 
appearance thousands of tons were imported annually 
from Germany, Belgium, and elsewhere, which trade has 
been for some years almost or entirely suspended. Our 
disease-resisting kinds have not only to a large extent 
saved our crops, but have given an increased impetus 
to the cultivation of Potatos, the newer kinds having 
made what was a most risky crop, a comparatively safe 
and profitable one, so that it sometimes happens that 
we have not only enough for ourselves, but have some 
to spare. 
So far as we know, beyond the raising of new kinds 
only three remedies have been suggested. The first is 
Jensen’s high moulding system, the theory of which is 
that the fungus spores are .washed down from the 
foliage by the rain, and that the usual plan of moulding, 
which leaves a shallow basin on the top of the ridge, 
gives increased facilities for the spores to reach the 
tubers ; so with a view to check them in their progress, 
the tubers are moulded up to a sharp ridge in such a 
way that the top of the haulm is bent over on one side, 
and away from the tubers as much as possible. 
Now if appearances always favoured the correctness 
of this theory, and the practice could be shown 
'to be remunerative, it would have been exten¬ 
sively followed, but unfortunately the additional cost 
incurred is very considerable, and must for ever pre¬ 
clude its adoption on any extended scale, unless the 
produce commands a much higher price than it has 
done for some years. The Chiswick trials gave some 
colour to its alleged efficacy, while at the same time it 
seems, from the tests conducted there, that the high 
earthing up to some extent restricted the production of 
tubers ; but from circumstances with which many are 
familiar, I think it not at all unlikely that this theory 
is based on false premisses—namely, the frequency in 
which to all appearances the centre of the tuber is first 
affected. This is a fact of which during some seasons 
thousands have daily experience, and is one of the 
most perplexing incidents in connection with the 
disease, giving at least some ground for the contention 
that the disease is carried down the stem of the plant, 
and so on to the tubers. 
A second remedy was put into the market by Mr. 
W. G. Smith, one of the most distinguished fungi- 
ologists of the day, and the second to discover the 
resting spores of the Peronospora infestans, Dr. A. 
Carpenter, of Croydon, being the first. Mr. Smith 
named his remedy “ Sal us,” a compound of potash 
salts, which it was presumed would fortify the Potato 
against the disease, but unfortunately like many other 
things, it proved an utter failure. More recently a 
solution of sulphate of copper, distributed with a 
syringe or engine purposely constructed, has been 
advocated and practised in Switzerland, but has been 
objected to on the score of expense. In reply to this, 
Mons. Louis Morhardt says that a man can go over an 
acre a day at a cost of 7s. for material. It may happen 
that this dressing would have to be repeated two or 
three times. It is alleged that this is a sure cure for 
the Tomato disease, and is certainly worth trying on 
them, as that would not in many cases be a very heavy 
undertaking. There are two different recipes for the 
solution — one is composed of 1 lb. of sulphate of 
copper to sixteen gallons of water, while the other is 
9 lbs. of sulphate of copper and 11 lbs. of lime to 
twenty-four gallons of water. The dressing of seed 
Potatos with carbolic powder has been suggested as 
likely to check the progress of the fungus, or even kill 
any latent spores that might be near the surface of the 
tubers. I have long held the opinion that ultimately 
a remedy or preventive will be found both effectual 
and cheap in application. I once thought it possible 
that the fumes of carbolic acid would destroy the germs 
of the disease, and by way of experiment, saturated 
some coco-nut fibre strongly with the acid, distributing 
it freely among the growing crops where the disease 
made its appearance ; but the result at best was a 
disappointment. I still hope, however, that some 
similar agency will be discovered by which this foe to 
Potato and man will be conquered. Till then our 
only resource is the production of disease-resisting 
kinds, the careful selection of seed, the planting at a 
greater, width to allow a freer circulation of air about 
the plants, and the discarding of all kinds which show 
a special susceptibility to the disease. The planting 
of Potatos in confined spots should also be avoided, as 
these are the places where the disease almost invariably 
makes its first appearance, and it seems to spread from 
them to more open spaces.— W. B. G. 
( To be continued.) 
SALADINGS. 
(Concluded,from p. 76 .) 
Tiie sowing of Barbe de Capucin takes place from April 
till May, in open fields, in rows 16 ins. to 20 ins. apart. 
Plants are left rather thick in the row, according to the 
goodness of the land. From December till April, when 
out-of-doors saladings are scarce, roots are pulled out to 
meet the demand from the forcing-house. A bed of well 
mixed manure is laid and well levelled. The roots are 
well dressed, and being tied in large bundles, with all 
the crowns on a level, are set upright on the bed, three 
or four days after it has been made, when the heat is 
already somewhat spent. The roots are watered, if 
necessary, before the growth sets in. After a fortnight 
or twenty days, the leaves are 8 ins. to 10 ins. long, 
and fit for use. The roots are then untied, sorted, and 
made into small handfuls of from fifteen to twenty 
roots, which are again tied into large bundles for 
sending to market, which bundles sell at from eight to 
twenty shillings per hundred. 
Notwithstanding the utter darkness of the cellars 
where the forcing and blanching process is conducted, 
the Barbe de capucin offers a marked bitterness, which 
iu Paris is relished rather than otherwise. Dark-red 
Beet is often associated with it. 
Witloof, or the Brussels Chicory, is made from a 
distinct variety which is chiefly notable for the width 
of the leaves, and especially for the great development 
of their midribs. It is noticeable that in all leaves 
developed in darkness the rib seems to attain its normal 
size, while the leaf-blade itself is greatly reduced in 
breadth. The fact is particularly striking in Witloof, 
where the head seems to be made up almost entirely of 
the imbricated leaf-ribs. 
Roots are grown as with Barbe de capucin, but farther 
apart, and must be thinned to a much greater distance, 
as each root has to attain the size of a spade-handle or 
of a billiard-cue at its larger end. 
Brussels remains to this day the head-quarters for the 
production of Witloof. The system adopted there is as 
follows: Roots are dug up in October, and either 
immediately dressed and placed in the forcing-pits, or 
put by till the time comes to force them. Each root 
must be carefully dressed before forcing. The leaves 
surrounding the central shoot are cut back to rather loss 
than 2 ins. of their base, and all leaves belonging to 
lateral shoots are entirely removed with all buds, as all 
the strength of the root should be thrown into the main 
shoot. The inferior part of each root is cut, so as to 
make the roots perfectly even, as all the crowns must 
stand on a level in the pit. 
This is made from 12 ins. to 18 ins. deep. The roots 
are put standing on the bottom, which has been lined 
previously with fine sod or leaf-mould ; they are 
planted in rows 4 ins. to 6 ins. apart, and stand quite 
close in the rows. Fine earth, sometimes mixed with 
sandy peat, is sifted over the roots and made to pene¬ 
trate between them, so as to hold them firmly in their 
place. More earth is added so as to cover the tops of 
the roots about 8 ins. deep, and to fill the pit level with 
the garden soil. The pit is generally made 4 ft. wide, 
and often very long, but the whole is not forced at one 
time. 
Stable manure is heaped on the part which is to be 
forced 1£ ft. to 3 ft. high. In twenty days the 
“Witloof” is marketable. The manure is then 
removed, pushed further on if not exhausted, and 
being mixed with fresh material it serves to force the 
next batch. 
The eatable part of Witloof is 4 ins. to 5 ins. long, 
not quite 2 ins. in diameter, in the shape of the head 
of a small Cos Lettuce ; it is almost pure white, very 
solid and firm. A piece of the crown of the root is 
cut along with it, which is too bitter to be eaten. 
Used as a salad, Witloof is milder in taste, and at the 
same time more watery, than Barbe de Capucin. It is 
also used cooked, and in that way comes nearer Sea 
Kale than any other vegetable I know of. 
Some growers in the suburbs of Paris have attempted 
the cultivation of Witloof by the apparently simpler 
and more effective system of placing the roots on the 
manure instead of heaping the manure on the top of 
the roots. They simply cover the crowns of the roots 
with earth or mould to the depth of a few inches. But 
the shoots generally expand instead of remaining closed 
as in the Belgian Witloof. It appears that the 
pressure under which the growth takes place in the 
Belgian system keeps it hard and firm, and gives the 
whole the conical and solid shape which greatly assists 
in making it carry and keep well. 
