486 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
Marche, 1896. 
Schoolmaster. 
BIG POTATOS. 
I never care for Brobdignagian Potatos at any time, 
as they are more fit for the bovine species rather than 
the biped. Still, they are by some regarded as 
curiosities, and a means of gratifying the sense of 
sight more than palate. Strong, gross sorts, 
fostered by intensive cultivation, are generally de¬ 
ficient in quality, but under cultivation and light 
lands invariably produce good eatable tubers of the 
same, where many other sorts would starve. 
A single row of Imperators, about i.| a yards 
long, growing in juxtaposition to Magnum Bonum 
and The Bruce, on land at Norwood, pro¬ 
duced a remarkable heavy crop. Unfortunately we 
did not weigh the whole yield of the row at the time 
of lifting, which is to be regretted, as a calculation 
would have been interesting. The heaviest tuber 
turned the scale at 2 lbs. 9 ozs., and was 13 in. long. 
The next six weighed over 10 lbs., and the twelve 
heaviest banged 19 lb. 
I would have sent the “ clodwolloper ” for your 
delectation, but when I came to unstcre the tubers last 
week the giant was already growing a young crop of 
sort would produce good-sized tubers for early 
forcing in good time, with little heat and support. 
I send a couple of tubers to follow this. Person¬ 
ally, however, I would much rather prefer the starch 
chemically extracted, and expended, with a little 
water, upon my collars and fronts that encircle my 
neck and the covering of my chest, rather than that 
they should be compelled to slip down and stiffen the 
inside of those useful parts of my anatomy, whether 
they be boiled, roasted, hashed, or mashed.— 
Benjamin Lockwood, Lindley, Match 2nd. 
-- 
THE BRUCE. 
For many years past, in some districts of Scotland 
at least, Kidney Potatos were looked upon as suitable 
only for garden culture. To a certain extent this 
was true, particularly in the case of the weaker- 
growing and early Ashleaf types which made but a 
weak growth with a poor production of tubers in the 
lumpy and not very rich soil of the field cultivated by 
the plough. Magnum Bonum was the first to dispel 
this notion, for its strong, vigorous constitution, and 
into commerce about 1885, and since then has been 
extensively cultivated in various parts of the world. 
Mr. Archibald Findlay, Fifeshire, Scotland, was the 
fortunate raiser of this renowned Potato. It is of 
vigorous constitution, developing much top growth, 
thereby making it useful for field culture, but unsuit¬ 
able for the rich soil and confined space of gardens. 
The skin is smooth and white with shallow eyes, 
while the quality is excellent and the produce heavy. 
The actual weight per acre depends upon many 
circumstances, which need not here be enumerated; 
but some very interesting expenments with the 
variety have been conducted by a grower in New 
Zealand, showing that the produce ranged from 13 
tons 12J cwts. to 21J tons per acre. The latter was 
the realisation where whole sets about the size of a 
hen's egg had been planted, and the ground extra 
manured with iron sulphate. The accompanying 
illustration was supplied by Mr. Findlay, who 
informs us that The Bruce, as a maincrop variety 
is to be overshadowed in the near future by his 
later introductions, Farmer's Glory and Up to Date. 
-» 1 - 
SCHOOLMASTER. 
When fruits, vegetables, or flowers receive more than 
one name, it is generally good evidence that the 
varieties in question are popular for some definable 
or tangible reason. Synonymous names for School¬ 
master are Dux, Early Perfection, and Fortyfold 
White. The haulm of this Potato is spreading, 
branching, and about 3 ft. long, all indicating the 
variety as a vigorous grower. The tuber is large, 
round, even and handsome, with slightly sunken eyes 
and a rough, straw-coloured skin. The accompany¬ 
ing illustration, furnished by Messrs. H. Cannell and 
Sons, Swanley, Kent, will indicate the general con¬ 
tour of a good old variety which has held its own for 
many years. It is a good cropper, with firm, pale 
straw-coloured flesh of excellent quality, matures late, 
keeps well, and well worthgrowing generally. AFirst- 
class Certificate was accorded it by the Royal Horti¬ 
cultural Soci;ty in 1881, under the name of Fortyfold 
White. A similar award was made to it under the 
name of Schoolmaster in 1876, so that it must 
certainly well deserve the honour. 
- m S m 
A PLEA FOR LATE VARIETIES. 
For many years past numerous growers, both on a 
large and small scale, have devoted much attention to 
The Bruce. 
Potatos on its surface, ranging from a schoolboy's 
marble to a good-sized “ knur.” The middle half of 
the tuber being quite rotten and decayed it fell in 
two at my feet. The young progeny, I suppose, had 
exhausted the farina and cellular tissues, breaking 
up its constitution. It seems evident to me that this 
disease-resisting qualities enabled it to make headway 
and produce good crops of a character that was much 
wanted in those days. Since then other Kidney 
varieties have been raised, and have become even 
more popular for the special reasons which w : e 
indicate in another column. The Bruce was put 
the planting of early varieties with the view of 
securing a crop free from disease. On the face of it 
this is plausible enough, but equally profitless to all 
concerned, except for the production of a small 
supply for the early market or home use. Owing to 
the dry character of June and JuLy _in the average of 
