March 14, 1896. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
447 
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Flora of Anglesey and Carnarvon.—Towardsthe 
latter n of last year you made mention, in The Gar- 
deni World, of Griffith’s “ Flora of Anglesey and 
Car arvonshire.” In it 1,119 species and 219 varieties 
are referred to as growing in those counties. 
Anglesey has long been known as a happy hunting 
ground for the botanist, many plants being growing 
there close to the water’s edge of the sea, which else¬ 
where are to be found only in almost inaccessible 
places. 
Mr. Griffith says that he has been an earnest 
student of the flora of The two counties during a 
period of twenty years; and his book shows that 
the greatest care has been expended on its compila¬ 
tion. Thinking that some of your readers may be 
interested in the list of novelties mentioned in it 
I extract the list from the preface to the work. 
New Species and Varieties—Ranunculus 
Cambricus, Hieracium Clovense, Hieracium Cam- 
bricum var. Griffithii, H. umbellatum var. curtum, 
Rubus Mercicus var. Chrysoxylon, R. griffithianus, 
R. cambricus, Arctium intermedium var. Subtomen- 
tosum, and Potamogeton Griffithii. 
New to the British flora.—Rubus griffithia¬ 
nus, R. Cambricus, R. Mercicus var. ChrysoxyloD, 
R. Gymnostachys, Potentilla Comarum var. 
villosa, Senecio spathulaefolius, Hieracium Adlerzii, 
Veronica Beccabunga var. repens, Scirpus rufus var. 
bifolius, Carex elytroides, C. panicea var. conferta, 
Agrostis vulgaris var. aristata, Holcus lanatus var. 
sylvestris, Molinia caerulea var. major, Briza media 
var. pallescens, Dactylis glomerata var. congesta, 
and Isoetes lacustris var. strictior longifolia.— J. C. 
Stogdon. 
-• » - - 
FORCING THE POTATO. 
No matter how much the doctor may inveigh against 
the practice of eating new Potatos, or how strongly 
he may persist in calling them indigestible, and un¬ 
wholesome to everyone except those possessing iron 
constitutions, the appearance of the young tubers is 
eagerly looked for by the classes and the masses 
alike. Hence in most gentlemen’s establishments 
various methods of obtaining the delicacy previous 
to the time when a supply may be had in the 
ordinary way from plants growing outside have to 
be practised by those whose business it is to supply 
their employers’ table with those vegetables which 
fashion declares to be in season. 
Naturally a sub-tropical subject, the Potato takes 
very kindly to forcing, and will stand with impunity 
a considerable degree of heat. Frost, indeed, it 
manifests an irreconcilable dislike to, and thus time 
may even be gained if out-door plants are simply 
protected from its destructive effects-, either by 
covering them with cold frames or various kinds of 
protective material. It is not of the means whereby 
early Potatos may be obtained from plants growing 
in the open ground, however, that we wish now to 
speak, but of the forcing proper—or, to put it in other 
words, the culture under glass of that indispensable 
vegetable that, in some form or other, finds a place 
on most dinner tables each and every day through¬ 
out the year. 
Culture in Frames. 
This is undoubtedly the most popular method of 
obtaining a crop of young tubers, and one which, 
if properly carried out, rarely fails to give complete 
satisfaction. Fairly easy of execution, no very 
elaborate preparations are necessary to the achiev¬ 
ing of success in this direction. Almost any kind of 
frame, providing it is of fair depth, may be turned 
to account. The most handy contrivance, however, 
is a substantial brick pit, fitted with movable 
lights. In depth this should be not less than six feet 
at the back, and three or four feet in the front, The 
width, of course, may vary, but it should not be too 
great, or the lights will be proportionately large and 
heavy, and hard to pull off and on. In all cases the 
pit should slope due south, so as to get all the 
benefit possible from the sun’s rays, particularly in 
the earlier months of the year. It is also necessary 
that it should be artificially heated, in order that a 
more uniform temperature may be kept up through¬ 
out the whole of the growing period than would 
otherwise be the case. Besides, such a convenience 
enables operations to be commenced at a much 
earlier date than would be advisable when the 
fermenting materials have to be depended upon 
entirely. For the earliest crops, therefore, where 
the “ seed ” has to be put in towards the end of 
December, only brick pits possessing at least a flow 
and return of 4-in. piping should be used. 
Preparation of the beds. —The fermenting 
materials should consist very largely of leaves, as 
these give out a more steady, as well as a more lasting 
and durable heat than stable litter does. If desired, 
however, a portion of the latter may be added to the 
leaves, taking care to mix the two up well together 
by means of several turnings. Whatever material 
is used it is absolutely necessary that it should be 
well trodden down, so as to minimise as much as 
possible the shrinking that takes place when decom¬ 
position sets in. The manure may be brought up to 
within about 18 in. or 20 in. of the glass. Upon this 
the soil may be placed. This should be from 9 in. 
to a foot in depth, and must be introduced into the 
pit several days before planting is thought about, so 
that it may get thoroughly warmed through. Beds 
of this kind may be made up about the end of 
December or the beginning of January, at the 
latest. Potatos fit to dig will then be forthcoming 
by the end of April or the beginning of May. 
It may well happen that a brick pit of the kind 
specified is not available at the time it is required, 
in which case an ordinary cold frame must be 
brought inio service. A hot-bed some four or five 
feet in height should be erected, and the frame placed 
on the top. The bed should be made at least 3 ft. 
larger each way than the frame itself. This 
furnishes a passage of 18 in. in width all round the 
latter, and facilitates the giving of the necessary atten¬ 
tions whenever they are required. The fermenting 
material may be neatly trodden all round the sides of 
the frame, finishing off a few inches from the top of 
the latter. The soil should be put in to warm previous 
to planting, as advised in dealing with the brick pits. 
Another method that usually produces very good 
results is to mark off a piece of ground in a sheltered 
part of the garden, a south border for preference, a 
piece of ground from five to six feet in width, the 
length, of course, depending upon the demand there 
is for early Potatos. The marked area may be dug 
out to a depth of 2 ft., and filled up with fermenting 
materials similar to those used for building the hot¬ 
beds before referred to, treading the whole down 
firmly. A layer of from 6 in. to 9 in. of soil should be 
placed on the top, and this sunk hot-bed covered 
with cold frames, lining these all round with hot 
manure to a thickness of about 18 in. or 2 ft. As 
the heat goes out of these linings they must be 
renewed, and the internal heat of the frame they 
surround thus kept up. 
Preparing the sets. —These require a certain 
amount of preparation before they are planted, in 
order to insure a speedy and uniform breaking into 
growth once they are committed to the soil. Some 
growers are very careful to expose their “ seed ’> 
tubers to the light during autumn until they get 
green, being of opinion that the growth resulting 
from such tubers is of a more sturdy character than 
when the tubers are kept in the dark in the usual 
way. About a fortnight before the “ sets ” are 
required for use they should be placed on end in 
shallow boxes in a vinery or other house possessing 
a temperature of 55 0 or thereabouts, so as to start 
them into growth. This will cause the shaws 
to push away vigorously, and the stronger and 
stouter they are when planted so much the better. 
There has been a good deal of discussion at various 
times, as to the advisability of cutting the sets, 
some contending that the weight of the yield is 
increased thereby, but generally speaking, it is not 
a good practice to cut Kidney varieties if they are 
of medium size, and a sufficient quantity of tubers 
can be procured. The eyes in most Kidney sorts 
are not so numerous as they are in the round 
varieties, added to which they are somewhat closer 
together, and hence division is rather a more diffi¬ 
cult proceeding. 
Planting. —As a rule, varieties are chosen for 
forcing purposes that do not make a great deal of 
haulm. A space of about 16 in. between the rows 
will be ample, and about 8 in. between the sets. 
They must not be planted more than 4 in. deep, the 
surface of the soil being nicely levelled over after¬ 
wards, and Radish seeds sown broadcast over the 
whole, The latter come in nicely before the 
Potatos reach any great size, and thus two crops are 
obtained from the same piece of ground, and every 
advantage is taken of the space. 
Subsequent treatment.— No water will be 
needed until the young plants make their appearance 
above ground, and even then it must be given 
sparingly, for the fermenting materials contain a 
great deal of water, and the young roots will soon 
strike downwards and find this out. When growth 
has further advanced, more water will, of course, be 
required. Air may be given freely, particularly in 
the case of frames placed on hot-beds which were 
planted about the middle of January to come in in 
succession. The lights on these frames may be 
pulled right off whenever the weather is mild and 
favourable. The earliest crops, however, it is not 
advisable to air quite so freely as this. Moulding 
up, as practised with Potatos grown in the open 
ground, will not be needed, for nothing weakens the 
plants so much as this, and they will need all their 
vigour and growth and constitution to enable them 
to resist successfully the rather enervating and 
enfeebling effects of forcing under artificial con¬ 
ditions. No matter whether the pits or frames are 
heated with hot-water pipes or not, covering up at 
night-time, whenever signs of frost are apparent, is 
absolutely essential, for, from the fact of the tender¬ 
growing points and leaves being in such close 
proximity to the glass, they are in great danger of 
being damaged by the frost, and Potatos under glass 
suffer just as severely if cut down in this way as do 
those growing in the open air. An abundance 
of covering material should, therefore, be kept on 
hand for use at a moment's notice. If the haulm 
grows too strongly it will be necessary to block the 
lights up both back and front, in order to keep the 
leaves clear of the glass. Water, in all instances, 
should be slightly warmed before applying it to the 
roots. In all cases of frames standing on hot-beds 
fresh linings of fermenting material must be given 
occasionally, until the plants have reached a fairly 
advanced stage, and when the weather outside will 
be more genial and spring-like. 
Culture in Pots. 
If anything, this is even more simple than cultiva¬ 
tion in frames. Although not practised quite so 
frequently as it used to be, it still finds a good deal 
of favour in the eyes of some growers. Its great 
advantages are that a few roots only may be grown 
if so desired, and this is of some importance to those 
who cannot spare a pit or frame, or have not 
sufficient materials to make up a hot-bed of the size 
requisite to accommodate any frame that they may 
have at their disposal. Excellent results can be 
obtained from the employment of 8-in. pots, although 
11-in. pots may be, and often are, used. This latter 
size is somewhat clumsy, however, and takes up 
rather more room than is altogether justified by 
results. The pots should be well drained, and 
filled to within 3 in. or 4 in. of the top with good 
loam, of a medium texture preferably. A single set 
may be planted in each pot. These sets must be 
prepared in the same way as those which were 
planted in frames,viz.—started into growth by placing 
them in a gentle heat a fortnight before planting. 
Where a position near the glass in a vinery, Peach- 
house, or forcing pit with a temperature of not less 
than 55 0 Fahr. by night, rising to 6o° by day can be 
found, nothing better can be desired. The plants 
will soon make their appearance above ground. 
Watering must be very carefully attended to in the 
earlier stages of growth, and, after the plants have 
got nicely strong and are growing freely, a top 
dressing of light rich soil may be given with advan¬ 
tage. 
Varieties. —Doubtless many-tlifferent cultivators 
differ somewhat as to their choice in this respect, 
and certainly there is plenty of room for a difference 
of opinion here, when one takes into consideration 
the variety of the climatic conditions that obtain in 
the various parts of the British Islands. Both the 
Old Ashleaf and Myatt's Prolific Ashleaf have won 
for themselves golden opinions from many cultiva¬ 
tors situated in different parts of the country. 
Sharpe's Victor also is excellent, and one of the 
quickest-growing varieties known. The flesh is 
creamy-yellow in colour. Sutton's Ai, Ringleader, 
and Harbinger can all be thoroughly recommended 
for early work, being all splendid croppers, with 
firm-fleshed tubers, and possessing excellent flavour. 
Keeping the tubers. —If by any chance the 
frame in which the plants are growing is required 
for other use, the whole of the tubers may be dug 
and placed in damp soil in a shed or outhouse, 
Treated in this way they will keep in condition, and 
come out fresh and good for some little time—at 
least, as long as the kitchen authorities are likely to 
allow them to remain.— A.S.G. 
