102 
Potato never afford either blossoms or seeds; and I 
attributed this peculiarity to privation of nutriment, 
owing to the tubers being formed preternaturally 
early, and thence drawing off that portion of the true 
sap which, in the ordinary course of nature, is 
employed in the formation and nutrition of blossoms 
and seeds. I therefore in the last spring planted 
some cuttings of a very early variety of the Potato, 
which had never been known to bloom in garden-pots, 
having heaped the mould as high as I could above 
the level of the pot, and planted the portion of the 
root nearly at the top of it. When the plants had 
grown a few inches high, they were secured to strong 
sticks, which had been fixed erect in the pot for that 
purpose, and the mould was then washed aw T ay from 
their stems by a strong current of water. Each plant 
was now suspended in air, and had no communication 
with the soil in the pots, except by its fibrous roots; 
and as these are perfectly distinct organs from the 
runners that generate and feed the tubers, I could 
readily prevent the formation of them. Efforts were 
soon made by every plant to generate runners and 
tubers, but these were destroyed as soon as they 
became perceptible. An increased luxuriance of 
growth now became visible in every plant, numerous 
blossoms were emitted, and every blossom afforded 
fruit.’ 
* Secondly, a suggestion as to what might be done 
towards widening the power of climatic adaptation of 
the cultivated Potato. There are certainly six distinct 
species of tuber-yielding Solanum, each with its own 
distinctive climatic peculiarities, I went to Messrs. 
Suttons’ trial-grounds specially to investigate this 
point, and came away fully satisfied that all the 
numerous varieties in cultivation had originated from 
S. tuberosum, as here defined. As far as climate is 
concerned, it cannot be doubted that Solanum Maglia 
(or the Darwin Potato, as we might suitably christen 
it in English), would be better fitted to succeed in 
England and Ireland than S. tuberosum, a plant of a 
comparatively dry climate. We have indisputable 
testimony that S. Maglia and S. Commersoni yield 
readily an abundant supply of eatable Potatos. What 
I should suggest is that these should be brought into 
the economic arena, and thoroughly tested as regards 
their economic value, both as distinct types and when 
hybridized with the innumerable tuberosum forms.” 
The foregoing conclusions seem to us extremely 
suggestive. Firstly, it would appear that in any 
attempt to improve tuber-bearing species with a view 
to raising good disease-resisting kinds, which shall be 
at the same time good croppers and palatable when 
cooked, it will be advisable to exclude altogether 
those supposed species which are now considered as 
Only wild forms of ordinary tuberosum. This experi¬ 
ment has already been tried. M. Alphonse De Candolle 
has recorded, in the Revue Horticole and elsewhere, 
how S. verrucosum was cultivated for many years by 
peasants in the neighbourhood of Geneva, and how 
the cultivation was finally abandoned on account of 
the smallness of the tubers, and because they did not, 
as was hoped, resist the disease. There had then 
been no Mr. Baker to tell them that they were only 
trying to raise improved Potatos from the wild stock. 
A second consideration is that Sabine’s paper “ On 
the Native Country of the Wild Potato,” which has 
been considered as referring to S. tuberosum, must 
now be understood as referring to S. Maglia, to which 
species Mr. Baker satisfactorily shows Sabine’s plant 
belongs. Again, the origin of our cultivated Potato 
has been frequently referred to as a vexed question. 
But if all the eleven names which Mr. Baker has 
referred to S. tuberosum are really “ mere forms or 
varieties of that species,” there need be no further 
difficulties on that score, as a reference to the wide 
range of that species abundantly demonstrates. 
Finally, without expressing any opinion as to the 
possibility of raising useful kinds from any of the 
other five species, it should be borne in mind, before 
dismissing the idea as impossible, that our excellent 
esculent has been improved by degrees from the wild 
stock, and that the species in their wild state are very 
closely allied. 
In conclusion—this paper is more lengthy than we 
intended it to be, but the subject is so interesting that 
further condensation seemed impossible without 
leaving out some important point—we append a few 
remarks on what is known of the tubers of these other 
five species and their habitat, as compared with 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
S. tuberosum.—S. Maglia has been grown for upwards 
of twenty years at Kew, small tubers were given to 
the Garden by Dr. Selater in 1862, and grown in the 
arid, sandy-soil of the nursery-gi'ound they produced 
no tubers in 1863 or 1864. In its native home it 
occurs in the near neighbourhood of the coast, while 
S. tuberosum is a plant of the hill of the interior. 
The history of Sabine’s plant (mentioned above as 
S. Maglia) briefly is:—Two tubers were sent to 
Chiswick, grown in richly-manured soil, and the 
produce was most abundant. They yielded in a single 
season about 600 tubers, a few as large as pigeon’s 
eggs, the remainder like the originals, globose and 
under an inch in diameter. The flavour, when boiled, 
was like a young ordinary Potato.—S. Commersoni. 
Of S. Ohrondii, said to be the same, we leam that 
tubers have been grown at Brest, where it is quite 
hardy. Each year, at the end of June or the begin¬ 
ning of July, the tubers have been collected, some 
having attained the size of small hen’s eggs, though 
not larger than walnuts when received. No disease 
has been noticed, and the plant grows of itself from 
small tubers accidentally left in the ground. The 
tubers may be boiled or baked : the latter are prefer¬ 
able, and have a taste like chestnuts, but leaving in 
the mouth a slight acidity. It will be noticed that 
the habitat is different from the preceding species 
and from S. tuberosum.—S. cardiophyllum produces 
white, watery tubers an inch in diameter, and is, 
perhaps, not now in cultivation.—S. Jamesii. A 
good supply has been grown at Kew from tubers 
furnished by the Agricultural Department at Washing¬ 
ton. The tubers are not above the size of marbles.— 
S. oxyearpum. Not in cultivation. The tubers are 
small, and commonly called “ Papa cimarrona” by the 
natives. 
Another Season has now rolled round, and we 
should be glad to hear the results of the harvest, as 
some of the above we assume are in cultivation.— X. 
—— 
ON PLANTING ROSES. 
The season is at hand when Boses are planted. 
The best time of the year to do this is up to the end 
of December; and anyone contemplating planting 
a collection should endeavour to obtain them from 
a nursery in which the soil is somewhat similar to 
that in the garden in which they are to be planted. 
Generally speaking, Boses will thrive in any good 
garden soil, but as it has a decided preference for 
that which inclines to clay or heavy loam, it is 
advisable in planting where the soil is not of a suit¬ 
able nature, to make for each plant a hole of 
about 18 ins. in diameter, removing a sufficient 
quantity of the old soil to admit of about a bushel of 
good rough loam with the addition of a fair quantity 
of well-decayed stable-manure well mixed in with it. 
If planting be done during dry weather, the plants 
should have a thorough soaking at the roots at the 
time, and standard plants should be firmly staked to 
prevent them being blown about by the wind. In 
selecting plants at a nursery, see that they are well 
furnished with fibrous roots; these are much less 
likely to throw up suckers than those having a few 
thick fibreless roots. 
Selection of Hybrid Perpettjals.— We will assume 
that Boses are wanted for garden decoration, and 
consequently the varieties we are about to name are 
vigorous, free-growing sorts, just adapted for the 
purpose. They are Anna Alexieff, rose colour; Edward 
Morren, deep cherry-red; Jules Margottin, cherry- 
red ; Comtesse de Chabrillant, pink; Glory of Waltham, 
crimson ; Lord Clyde, rich scarlet-crimson ; Madame 
Jules Grevy, light sahnon-pink ; Madame Louise 
Vigneron, bright rose; Mrs. Harry Turner, dazzling 
crimson-scarlet; Princess Louise, white, with a slight 
tint of flesh; Princess Louise Victoria, light pearl; 
and The Shah, pure red, very bright. 
It will be found of great advantage to mulch each 
with manure after planting, and this can be lightly 
pricked in about March. Then, in regard to pruning 
Boses used for garden decoration, this operation 
should be regulated by the growth of the individual 
varieties, the weak shoots being cut in close, the 
stronger, sucker-like shoots being left longer. The 
strong-growers form good pillar, pyramid, or climbing 
Boses; and for the latter purpose nothing can be 
better than the climbing forms of Captain Christy, 
Oct. 18th, 1884. ~ 
Edward Morren, Bessie Johnson, Comtesse d'Oxford, 
Mdlle. Eugenie Yerdier, and Victor Yerdier. 
Show Boses. —Here are the names of some very 
fine show Boses, should any one contemplate trying 
his luck at the next local show:—Alfred Colomb, 
A. K. Williams, Annie Wood, Baroness Bothschild, 
Beauty of Waltham, Charles Lefevre, Comtesse 
d’Oxford, Comte Baimbaud, Duchess of Bedford, Duke 
of Edinburgh, Dupuy Jamain, Emilie Hausberg, 
Fisher Holmes, Francois Michelon, Helen Paul, 
Horace Vernet, Jules Finger, La France, Le Havre, 
Madame Eugene Yerdier, Madame Gabriel Luizet, 
Madame Hippolyte Jamain, Madame Nachury, 
Madame Victor Yerdier, Marie Baumann, Marie 
Verdier, Merveille de Lyon, Mons. E. Y. Teas, Mrs. 
Jowitt, Mrs. Laxton, Pierre Notting, Pride of 
Waltham, Bosieriste Jacobs, Beynolds Hole, Senator 
Vaisse, Star of Waltham, Ulrich Brunner, and Xavier 
Olibo. 
Tea Boses. —Some Tea Boses must of course be 
included: of those having yellow-buff and sulphur 
shades : Gloire de Dijon, Marechal Niel, Devoniensis, 
Perfection de Mont Plasir, Madame Falcot, Perle de 
Lyon, Perle des Jardins, and Safrano. White Teas :— 
Niphetos, Alba rosea, Marie Van Houtte, and Madame 
Willermoz. Blush pink and flesh shades: Souvenir 
d’un Ami, Bubens, President, Letty Coles and Catherine 
Mirmet. Bose and crimson in shades : David Pradel, 
Duke of Edinburgh, and Cheshunt Hybrid. 
Polyantha or Pet Boses. —These are well-named 
Pet Boses. They are a somewhat new class, easily 
grown, and flowering autumnally, even through 
the depth of winter if grown in a house, and pro¬ 
ducing heads of from thirty to over one hundred 
flowers on strong plants. Bosa polyantha was intro¬ 
duced from Japan by the late Mr. Bobert Fortune, 
about twenty years ago. It is distingi$shed from 
every other type by its painted blooms. It is the only 
section exhibiting this peculiarity, which it would be 
interesting to find reproduced in other sections of the 
Bose. From its seeds several fine varieties have 
been produced, such as Anna Maria de Montravel, 
white, produced in clusters, very double and sweet, 
and a very pretty dwarf Bose, Jean Driven, white, 
edged with rose, very novel and pretty; Madame 
C. Brunner, light pink or blush, charming; Par- 
queritte, pure white, flowering in large bunches, 
and very continuous in bloom; Mignonette, rosy- 
pink, very fine and the most pleasing of miniature 
Boses; and Perle d’Or, nankeen-yellow with orange- 
centre, novel and distinct. Some of these can be had 
as standards, and we think they would be very pretty 
in this form.— Quo. 
-—— 
AUTUMN IN THE FLOWER 
GARDEN. 
The garden referred to in the following paper is 
situated in the southern part of Surrey:— 
How enjoyable are these early October days in a 
garden where plenty of good hardy flowers are grown ! 
The sun is still hot, while the ah- is keen and crisp ; 
summer flowers are over, but those of autumn are in 
full swing, with a prospect of unceasing interest till 
the middle of November. Even then we shall not be 
flowerless, nor indeed at any time throughout the 
-winter, and by mid-February there will be a hundred 
plants in bloom again. The chief border of hardy 
flowers had a trying time during six weeks of drought, 
but recent rain has given it fresh life, and all that 
now remains to record the dry season is a general 
dwarfing of the taller plants; Michaelmas Daisies of 
the bigger sorts being six feet high instead of eight, 
and so on. The earlier kinds are in full beauty ; we 
only grow the very best, perhaps fifteen varieties, all 
chosen for some conspicuous merit out of the great 
number that exist, many being hopeless rubbish for 
garden purposes. With the Michaelmas Daisies are 
groups of the great marsh ox-eye, closely followed by 
another grand Daisy, the great ox-eye (Pyrethrum 
uliginosum). Then come groups of the best kinds of 
perennial Sunflowers and Coneflowers (Budbeckia) 
in rich variety, with the primose-eoloured annual 
Sunflower, a more manageable plant in a mixed 
border than the coarser deep yellow-flowered kind. 
The great autumn Monkshood is a noble plant, and 
groups finely with some of 'the large white Daisies. 
Its deep green foliage comes finely out of a carpeting 
