284 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER . 
April  1,  189?. 
apt  to  boil  very  black  if  kept  until  after  Christmas,  and  it  has  been 
bad  to  sell  during  the  present  winter,  whereas  there  has  always 
been  a  demand  for  sound  Elephants  or  Hebrons. 
The  Snowdrop  is  an  excellent  cropper,  but  very  delicate,  and 
must  be  got  off  early  before  disease  makes  its  appearance.  Jeanie 
Deans,  one  of  Mr.  Finlay’s  introductions,  is  very  early  and  a 
good  cropper,  whilst  the  quality  is  similar  to  the  old  Regent,  but 
being  a  round  Potato  is  against  it  for  early  marketing.  A  moderate 
acreage  of  it  might  do  well,  say  as  many  as  could  safely  be  got 
away  during  the  latter  half  of  August,  but  we  could  hardly  recom¬ 
mend  it  for  winter  consumption. 
All  the  above  varieties  require  a  good  well-drained  soil  and 
high  cultivation.  In  fact  we  do  not  believe  in  anything  but  high 
cultivation  in  the  growth  of  the  Potato. 
Since  Potato  growing  has  become  more  general,  with  the 
increase  in  the  acreage  it  has  become  every  day  more  evident  that 
the  supply  was  over-reaching  the  demand.  This  being  so,  and  the 
markets  being  flooded  with  Potatoes  at  all  prices  and  of  all 
qualities,  it  is  obvious  that  the  result  of  the  keen  competition  must 
be  the  survival  of  the  fittest.  This  has  come  to  pass.  The  con¬ 
sumer,  finding  himself  able  to  obtain  the  best  quality  at  a  low  price, 
has  acquired  a  taste  for  the  best,  and  will  have  nothing  else.  As 
only  good  soils  can  be  depended  on  to  produce  first-class  keeping 
quality,  it  follows  that  the  poorer  and  lighter  soils  ‘  are  no  longer 
suitable  for  growing  anything  but  the  early  kinds.  If  maincrop 
varieties  were  never  planted  on  any  soils  but  those  of  good  body 
and  colour  there  would  be  fewer  Potatoes  in  the  markets,  and 
prices  might  be  higher  ;  but  there  would  be  little  waste  in  therm 
and  the  consumer  would  not  be  altogether  a  loser. 
But  having  got  some  good  land  to  plant,  what  kinds  are  we  to 
put  in  it  ?  The  old  “  Magnum  Bonam,”  as  a  kidney-shaped  main- 
cropper,  is  still  worth  growing  ;  but  the  “  Bruce  ”  is  whiter  in  the 
flesh,  and  to  be  preferred  on  account  of  its  more  robust  habit. 
“  Maincrop  ”  is  probably  the  best  quality  of  all,  at  any  rate  it 
commands  the  highest  price  ;  but  it  is  a  shy  cropper,  except  on 
land  a  very  long  way  above  the  average  in  condition.  No  Potato 
pays  better  for  high  cultivation  (75s.).  There  has  so  far  been  no 
kidney-shaped  maincropper  introduced  which  is  likely  to  supersede 
the  three  above  mentioned. 
Of  oval  and  round  varieties  there  are  several  which  have  been 
loudly  extolled  as  being  absolute  perfection.  The  Garton  we  tried 
for  three  years  on  different  soils.  It  is  a  great  cropper,  but  very 
late,  and  is  much  given  to  cracking.  It  has  also  the  disadvantage 
of  being  round,  which  at  present  is  not  the  fashionable  shape. 
We  did  not  find  it  satisfactory,  and  gave  up  growing  it. 
Her  Majesty,  a  round  of  Findlay’s,  is  a  good  cropper,  heavier 
than  the  Bruce,  and  very  fine  in  quality.  We  have  grown  it  with 
great  success  in  1894  and  1895,  but  last  year  it  did  not  do  so  well. 
We  shall  grow  it  again,  as  it  is  quite  the  best  of  the  rounds.  A 
great  advantage  is  its  early  ripening,  it  being  ready  to  raise  and 
store  by  September,  and  it  may  be  marketed  in  October. 
The  “  Saxons  ”  we  have  not  grown,  but  have  had  good  accounts 
of  them  from  those  who  have.  They  are  great  croppers,  and 
hardy  ;  but  this  season  they  have  shown  a  tendency  to  super- 
tuberation  or  second  growth.  Here  again  the  round  shape  is  a 
disadvantage.  We  now  come  to  the  Potato  which  we  think  the 
most  valuable  of  all.  It  is  a  flattish  oval  in  shape,  and  is  named  “  Up 
to  Date.”  It  has,  as  a  large  dealer  observed  to  us,  every  qualifica¬ 
tion  which  is  required  in  a  Potato — cropping  power,  as  demonstrated 
by  the  Dalmeny  trials,  where  it  produced  19^  tons  per  acre  over 
8  acres  of  ground,  handsome  shape,  robust  growth  (it  is  the 
strongest  grower  we  have  seen),  hardiness  and  cooking  quality. 
As  regards  the  last  we  can  speak  very  confidently,  for  we  grew  it 
on  weak  sandy  soil  beside  other  kinds  which  now  use  very  badly 
(the  Bruce  is  one),  whereas  the  “  Up  to  Date  ”  still  cooks 
beautifully,  the  crop  was  about  40  per  cent  more  than  the  Bruce. 
We  are  confident  this  is  the  finest  Potato  yet  introduced.  Other 
kinds  are  “Fidler’s  Colossal,”  which  is  too  large;  “Imperator,” 
which  has  seen  its  best  day,  and  Stourbridge  Glory.  To  sum  up, 
the  following  will  be  found  most  reliable  for  field  culture  : — 
Second  Early.— Snowdrop,  Elephant,  Reading  Giant. 
Maincrop  for  Autumn. — Her  Majesty  or  Saxon. 
Maincrop  for  Storing. — Up  to  Date ;  Bruce  or  Maincrop, 
according  to  soil. 
WORK  ON  THE  HOME  FARM. 
Except  for  one  heavy  thunderstorm  the  past  week  has  been  fine,  with 
stroDg  drying  winds.  The  land  has  dried  wonderfully,  and  is  again  in 
sowing  condition,  though  rather  rough  in  the  strong  places.  Drilling 
will  now  be  actively  followed  until  all  is  in  the  ground. 
There  are  great  complaints  of  the  Wheat  plant  going  away.  Wire- 
worm  seems  to  be  the  cause.  The  land  will  roll  well  now,  and  nothing 
Btops  wire  worm  better  than  constant  rolling.  We  have  nothing  to 
complain  of,  but  the  Wheat  is  backward,  and  not  likely  to  come  to 
harvest  so  early  as  last  year. 
Lambing  is  over,  or  nearly  so.  Results  vary  very  much  ;  lambs  on 
neighbouring  farms  vary  from  100  to  165  per  cent,  of  the  ewes.  There 
has  been  a  general  loss  amongst  ewes,  varying  only  in  degree. 
Sheep  are  nearly  all  off  the  Turnips.  The  markets  are  much  better, 
and  the  spring  fairs  promise  to  be  decidedly  dear.  Grass  is  freshening 
where  the  land  is  dry,  and  a  few  beasts  are  turned  out  to  harden.  The 
trade  for  store  cattle  is  so  far  disappointing,  but  dear  sheep  should  have 
a  good  effect  on  the  cattle  fairs. 
The  working  of  fallows  has  got  somewhat  in  arrear,  for  the  land  has 
been  too  wet  for  the  last  few  weeks,  and  it  was  of  no  use  wearing  flesh 
off  the  horses  to  no  purpose.  Fortunately,  this  year’s  fallows,  being  in 
the  same  course  as  those  of  1893  (a  dry  season),  never  were  foul,  so  that 
the  loss  of  time  is  not  so  serious  as  it  might  have  been.  Every  horse  that 
can  be  spared  from  the  Barley  sowing  must  now  be  kept  at  work  on  the 
fallows.  The  portion  to  be  devoted  to  Mangolds  must  have  the  final 
cleaning  at  once,  and  then  be  ploughed  and  rolled  ;  it  will  then  be 
ready  for  ridging  and  manuring  when  drilling  time  comes.  In  some 
parts  Mangolds  are  put  in  early  in  April ;  but  the  25th  is  early  enough, 
and  especially  in  low  lying  fields  subject  to  sharp  May  frosts,  where  it 
would  be  safer  to  delay  sowing  until  the  beginning  of  May. 
OUR  LETTER  BOX. 
Calf  Dying-  (W.  A.~). — Your  calf  died  from  a  disease  known  as 
“  black  leg,”  for  which  there  is  no  cure.  It  may  and  can,  however,  be 
easily  prevented.  You  say  the  calf  was  a  splendid  one.  Only  calves 
that  are  doing  too  well  are  liable.  At  this  time  of  year,  when  the  weather 
is  mild,  great  care  is  needed  to  prevent  calves  making  too  much  blood. 
Knock  off  all  rich  food,  and  carefully  avoid  hot,  close  boxes  or  peas. 
Remember  a  calf  is  aot  an  exotic,  aud  does  not  seed  pampering.  Try  to 
harden  them  by  turning  into  yards  during  the  day.  A  setou  is  also  a 
preventive.  Certain  grass  fields  invariably  cause  black  leg  among 
calves,  but  a  calf  that  is  kept  up  has  no  business  to  suffer,  plain  diet  and 
cool  quarters  being  the  two  requisites.  A  calf  will  die  in  a  much  shorter 
time  than  twenty-six  hours. 
METEOROLOGICAL  OBSERVATIONS. 
Camden  Square,  London. 
Lat.  61°  S3' 40"  N. ;  Long.  0°  8/  0"  W.;  Altitude  111  feet. 
Date. 
9  A.M. 
In  the  Day. 
1897. 
M  rrt 
S  a  £ 
2 
PO  J 
Hygrometer. 
Direc¬ 
tion  of 
Temp, 
of  soil 
■at 
1  foot. 
Shade  Tem¬ 
perature. 
Radiation 
Temperature 
3 
*3 
03 
March. 
M'CO  cS 
J* 
CQ  OS  CD 
Dry. 
Wet. 
Wind. 
Max. 
Min. 
In 
Sun. 
On 
Grass. 
Sunday  ... 
21 
Inchs. 
30-109 
leg. 
52-3 
deg. 
60-4 
W. 
deg. 
45-3 
deg. 
61-3 
deg. 
47-9 
deg. 
92-7 
deg. 
44-2 
Inchs. 
0117 
Monday  .. 
22 
30-059 
52-6 
51-4 
S.W. 
46-8 
58-1 
49-7 
74-2 
44-3 
— 
Tuesday  . . 
23 
29-987 
49-6 
46  1 
w. 
46-6 
61-7 
44-1 
101-9 
36-4 
— 
Wednesday 
24 
29-793 
54-4 
48-4 
w. 
46-9 
59-7 
46-9 
100-1 
40-9 
— 
Thursday . . 
25 
30-060 
50-8 
46-4 
w. 
46-3 
591 
44-9 
101-7 
36-7 
— 
Friday 
26 
29-857 
51-3 
49-1 
S.W. 
47-2 
56-9 
49-1 
79-7 
43-2 
0-046 
Saturday  . . 
27 
29-641 
51-6 
46-4 
w. 
47-2 
57-6 
47-7 
98-0 
42-9 
0-081 
29-928 
51-8 
48-3 
46-6 
59  2 
47-2 
92-6 
41-2 
0-244 
REMARKS. 
21st. — Cloudy,  close,  and  hasy  till  11.30  a.m.  ;  generally  sunny  after,  but  not  clear. 
22nd.— Rain  from  1  A.M.  to  4  A.M.,  and  dull  and  damp  till  11  a.m.  ;  gradually  improving 
and  a  little  sun  in  afternoon ;  slight  shower  at  5-30  p.M. 
23rd. — Mild  and  sunny  throughout. 
24th  —Fine,  but  frequently  cloudy  ;  high  wind  at  times. 
25th. — Beautiful  throughout,  though  occasionally  cloudy. 
2eth.— Overcast  all  morning,  gleams  of  sun  at  midday;  rain  at  3.30  P.M.,  and  heavy 
shower  at  4  p.m.  ;  gale  and  drizzle  at  night. 
27th.— Cloudy,  with  high  wind  in  morning  ;  generally  sunny  in  afternoon. 
An  exceptionally  warm  week  for  the  date ;  about  equal  to  that  usual  in  the  middle 
of  May.— G.  J.  Symons. 
Messrs.  Street  &  Co.,  Advertising  Agents,  of  30,  Cornhill,  E.C.,  and 
5,  Serle  Street,  W.C.,  announce  that,  in  consequence  of  their  increasing 
business  and  for  the  convenience  of  their  West  End  clients,  they  will 
open  on  Monday,  5th  April,  1897,  a  branch  establishment  at  164, 
Piccadilly,  London,  W. 
