October  31, 189i. 
JOURKAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
423 
Cattleya  Eurydice  (J.  Veitch  &  Sons). — The  sepali  and  petals  of 
this  variety  are  dull  lilac  with  deeper  spots  ;  the  lip  is  crimson  purple 
with  yellow  towards  the  throat.  It  is  the  lesult  of  a  cross  between 
.A-cIandire  and  labiata  (award  of  merit). 
Cattleya  Mantini  (J.  Veitch  &  Sons  and  G.  Mantin). — This  hybrid 
•was  described  in  our  issue  of  the  17th  inst.  (first-class  certificate). 
CUrysantJiemnvi  Beauty  of  Teignmouth  (J.  Agate). — An  incurved 
Japanese,  with  a  crimson  flower  having  a  silvery  reverse.  The  florets 
are  very  much  curled  at  the  tips  (award  of  merit). 
Chrysanthevnuu  C.  H.  Curtis  (H.  J.  Jones). — The  innovations  of 
the  incurved  are  not  so  numerous  as  the  Japanese,  and  consequently 
this  should  be  highly  appreciated.  The  form  is  excellent,  and  the 
colour  pure  yellow  (award  of  merit). 
Clirysanthemuvi  Dorothy  Gibson  (R.  Owen). — A  handsome  yellow 
reSexed  of  almost  perfect  form  (award  of  merit). 
Chrysanthemum  Edith  Tabor  (R.  C.  Notcutt). — A  very  beautiful 
yellow  variety,  somewhat  after  the  style  of  Mdlle.  Thdr^se  Rey  (award  of 
merit). 
Chrysanthemum  Miss  A.  Holden  (H.  J.  Jones). — A  floriferous  single, 
with  sulphur  coloured  flowers.  It  is  a  sport  from  the  well-known  Mary 
Anderson  (award  of  merit). 
Chrysanthemum  Miss  Florence  Lunn  (H.  Briscoe  Ironside). — This 
is  a  full,  well  formed,  and  compact  flower  of  true  reflexed  character, 
with  colour  of  purplish  crimson  (award  of  merit). 
Chrysanthemum  31ons.  Chenon  de  Leche,  (W.  Wells). — A  reflexed 
Japanese  of  splendid  size  and  substance.  The  broad  florets  are  rosy 
buflE  margined  with  yellow  (avyard  of,  merit). 
Chrysanthemum  3Irs.  Briscoe,  Ironside  (II.  Briscoe  Ironside).  —  A 
large,  full  flowered  incurved  Japaiieae  of  a  soft  flesh  colour,  with  long, 
narrow  florets,  twisting,  and  building  up  a  fine  bloom  (award  of  me-rit). 
Chrysanthemum  Mrs.  Charles  BUch  (Charles  Blick). — A  pure  white 
slightly  incurved.  Japanese.  The.  flowers  are  large, deep,  and  have  a  very 
full  centre  (award  of  merit)..  ,  ^ 
Chrysanthemum  Mrs.  E.  G.  Whittle  (H.  J1  Jones).  —  A  creamy 
white  Japanese  of  ^.ne  form.  The  florets  are  broad  and  tipped  with 
yellow  (award  of  merit). 
Chrysanthemum  Queen  of  Buffs  (H.  J.  Jones). — The  name  of  this 
Japanese  leils  its  colour.  The,  florets  and  broad  , and  stout  (award  of 
merit),  .  .  r  ’ 
Chrysanthemum  Bose  Oicen  (R.  Owen). — A  fine  incurved  with  rose 
coloured  flowers,  of  which  the  florets  are  edged  with  white  (award  of 
merit).  ~ 
Chrysanthemum  Yellow  Source  d’ Or  (Cannell  &  Sons). — A  golden 
yellow  form  of  the  well-known  Source  d’Or  (award  of  merit). 
Cypripedium  Allanianum.  superbum  (H.  J.  Chapman).  —  This  is 
totally  distinct  from  the  type,  and  in  every  way  superior.  The  dorsal 
sepal  is  white  with  a  green  base  and  rose  coloured  flushings.  The 
ground  colour  of  the  base  is  green  with  brown  markings  and  spots. 
The  poucb  is  larger,  and  of  an  intense  purplish  brown  shade  (award  of 
merit). 
Cypripedium  insigne  Laura  Kimball  (H.  Low  &  Co.).-— A  handsome 
form  of  tne  type.  The  petals  and  lip  are  clear  yellow,  the  former  having 
numerous  hairs  at  the  base  The  dorsal  sepal  is  yellow,  with  a  broad 
white  margin  (award  of  merit). 
Lailio- Cattleya  Euphrosyne  (J.  Veitch  &  Sons). — A  bigeceric  hybrid 
obtained  from,  a  cross  between  Cattleya  Warscewiezi  and  Lmlia  pumila 
Dayana.  The  sepals  and  petals  are  purplish  rose,  the  lip  being  velvety 
maroon  with  a  pale  rose  tip.  The  side  lobes  are  pale  canary  yellow 
^award  of  merit). 
Lycoris  aurea  (R.  Wallace  &  Co.).— This  is  an  old  introduction  from 
Japan,  but  little  known  or  grown  in  this  country.  The  colour  is  bright 
golden  yellow.  Quite  distinct  from  the  family  of  Nerines  (first-class 
certificate). 
The  Lecture. 
A  most  interesting  item  in  the  day’s  proceedings  was  the  able  and 
instructive  discourse  on  “  Potatoes,”  by  Mr.  A.  W.  Sutton,  a  member  of 
the  well  known  Reading  firm  so  closely  connected  with  the  cultivation  of 
this  important  vegetable.  The  essayist  dealt  most  ably  with  his  subject, 
and  gave  a  graphic  history  of  the  Potato  from  the  time  of  its  introduction 
into  Europe  to  the  present  day.  What  added  much  interest  to  the  paper 
was  the  introduction  of  forty-five  magic  lantern  slides,  by  which  illus¬ 
trations  were  given  of  all  forms  of  the  Solanum  family,  ibowing  plainly 
the  marked  difference  in  the  size  and  condition  of  the  Potato  when  first 
introduced  into  Europe  and  as  it  is  now  grown  in  our  gardens. 
Mr.  Sutton  commenced  his  lecture  by  a  concise  narrative  of  the 
origin  of  the  Potato,  its  introduction  into  Europe,  and  its  geographical 
distribution  generally.  After  complimentary  references  to  Mr.  Baker 
for  his  “  Review  of  the  Tuber-bearing  Species  of  Solanums,”  and  to  Lord 
Cathcart  for  his  exhaustive  paper  on  the  history  and  disease  suscepti¬ 
bilities  of  the  Potato,  he  introduced  on  the  screen  the  portrait  of 
Gerarde  (see  page  407)  ;  also  Potatoes  as  they  grew  in  his  garden 
three  centuries  ago. 
Referring  to  the  latter  Mr.  Sutton  remarked  that  the  picture  suggested 
many  thoughts  and  comparisons.  How  little  like  the  fine,  handsome, 
and  even  tubers  we  see  at  this  time  for  sale  at  all  the  greengrocers  in 
London  and  elsewhere !  Then  also  the  use  of  the  Potato  in  Gerarde’s 
time  by  the' wealthy  few  as  a  luxury  of  questionable  value  or  utility, 
how  different  to  the  present  enormous  consumption  in  all  civilised  parts 
of  the  world  1 
The  lecturer  continued : — While  Gerarde’s  Potato  is  before  us  it  may 
be  interesting  to  note  that  the  acreage  planted  in  the  United  Kingdom  in 
1894  amounted  to  1,232,055  acres,  averaging  3  tons  15  cwt.  2  qrs.  20  lbs. 
per  acre,  or  a  total  of  4,662,147  tons  grown  in  the  United  Kingdom 
besides  a  large  quantity  imported.  Reckoning  the  entire  population  as 
37.880.764  this  would  allow  about  2  cwt.  1  qr.  24  lbs.  for  every  man, 
woman,  and  child  per  annum,  but  these  figures  make  no  allowance  for 
the  quantity  annually  consumed  in  feeding  cattle,  which  is  always 
considerable  and  varies  chiefly  in  proportion  to  the  market  value  of 
Potatoes. 
On  the  excellent  authority  of  Monsieur  H.  de  Vilmorin,  it  was  stated 
that  the  acreage  under  cultivation  in  Prance  is  annually  about  3,342,500, 
and  the  total  yield  for  the  whole  of  that  country  is  10,100,000  tons,  or 
making  allowance  for  the  quantity  exported  and  imported  the  figures 
stand  at  10,000,000  tons.  Whilst  in  England,  Potatoes  are  grown 
almost  entirely  for  use  as  a  vegetable.  Monsieur  Vilmorin  estimates 
that  about  two-fifths  or  4,000,000  tons  are  annually  used  in  France  in 
the  manufacture  of  starch  and  alcohol. 
According  to  Herr  Fritz  Benary  of  Erfurt,  the  total  acreage  devoted 
to  Potatoes  in  the  German  Empire  in  1893  was  7,592,165  acres,  and 
the  total  quantity  of  Potatoes  harvested  amounted  to  32,277,851  tons,  or 
allowing  for  the  quantities  imported  andexported,  32,376.497  tons,  which 
was  the  total  quantity  available.  Out  of  this  total  6,074,732  tons  were 
used  for  seed  purposes  to  plant  the  crops  of  the  following  year,  leaving 
26.301.765  tons  for  consumption.  Of  this  enormous  quantity, 
26,301.765  tons,  Herr  Benary  says  that  1,313,584  tons  were  used  for 
distilling  purposes,  but  he  is  unable  to  say  how  much  of  the  remaining 
24,988,180  tons  were  used  as  vegetables,  and  how  much  in  the  manufac¬ 
ture  of  starch,  as  no  statistics  are  available. 
From  the  figures  above  quoted  we  get  some  idea  of  the  enormous 
commercial  and  economical  advantages  which  have  resulted  from  the 
scientific  researches  of  those  who  first  discovered  and  introduced  the 
Potato  into  Europe.  How  marvellously  has  the  Potato  grown  in 
popularity  since  Gerarde’s  day  ! 
.•  > ' 
Degeneration  and  Improvement. 
The  lecturer  went  on  to  say  that  although  Potatoes  may  be  kept 
through  the  winter  and  planted  again  the  next  spring  they  are  in  no 
respect  anything  more  or  less  than  portions  of  the  old  plant  which 
had  died  down  and  apparently  ceased  to  exist  the  previous  autumn. 
Consequently  while  through  the  almost  unlimited  prolongation  of  the 
life  of  a  single  Potato  plant  weakness  and  deterioration  often  set  in, 
there  is  practically  no  room  for  improving  the  original  type  by  any 
selection  of  tubers.  This  anyone  can  prove  by  planting  a  tuber  which 
may  from  some  cause  or  other  be  mis-shapen  and  the  produce  will 
be  found  to  revert  to  the  same  handsome  and  uniform  type  as  the 
other  Potatoes  which  were  growing  on  the  same  plant.  The  only 
modification  of  this  rule  he  was  acquainted  with  is  in  the  cases  where 
all  the  tubers  of  one  plant  show  a  uniform  divergence  m  character, 
either  for  better  or  worse.  When  this  is  so  it’  is  possible  that  by  the 
selection  of  all  or  any  of  these  tubers  a  slightly  different  Potato  might 
result,  as  in  the  case  of  some  types  of  the  Ashleaf  section  which  are 
dwarfer  and  more  compact,  or  else  taller  and  coarser-growing  than 
others.  Outside  the  Ashleaf  class,  however,  I  know  of  no  such  instances. 
In  reference  to  this  point  Monsieur  Vilmorin  mentions  he  does  not 
consider  a  really  first-class  seedling  Potato  is  liable  to  degenerate  so 
quickly  as  is  generally  supposed.  If  degeneration  sets  in  soon  after  its 
introduction  it  merely  proves  that  the  variety  is  one  which  never  ought 
to  have  been  brought  to  public  notice. 
Raising  Seedlings. 
Anyone  attempting  to  raise  seedling  Potatoes,  continued  Mr.  Sutton, 
must  have  patience.  Like  many  other  species  which  are  not  habitually 
multiplied  by  the  seed,  the  Potato  has  a  remarkable  tendency  to  revert 
to  the  wild  form.  It  may  be  necessary  to  cultivate  100  or  even  1000 
seedlings  before  finding  one  which  is  really  worthy  of  a  place  amongst 
the  better  varieties  already  existing.  Mons.  Vilmorin  says  that  in 
F ranee  the  raising  of  seed  Potatoes  has  been  proceeded  with  in  a  some¬ 
what  haphazard  manner,  whereas  in  England,  on  the  other  hand,  a  more 
systematic  method  has  been  followed,  mentioning  that  richness  in 
starch,  excellence  of  flavour,  power  of  resisting  disease,  with  little 
tendency  to  develop  haulm,  are  the  characters  we  generally  seek. 
Unfortunately,  he  says,  they  are  not  always  able  to  profit  in  France  by 
progress  realised  in  England,  because  the  French  have  a  marked 
preference  for  Potatoes  with  yellow  flesh,  whereas  in  England,  for  many 
years  past,  there  has  been  a  preference  for  white-fleshed  Potatoes.  On 
this  account  even  the  celebrated  Magnum  Bonum,  which  was  first 
distributed  from  Reading  in  1876,  after  having  enjoyed  a  brief 
popularity  in  the  Paris  markets,  has  been  almost  abandoned  as  a  table 
variety  on  account  of  the  flesh  being  too  pale  in  colour.  Mons.  Vilmorin 
remarks  that  in  Germany  considerable  attention  has  been  given  to 
raising  seed  Potatoes,  but  more  particularly  with  the  object  of  raising 
varieties  which  are  specially  adapted  for  the  production  ot  alcohol  and 
starch. 
The  Illustrations. 
Mr.  Sutton  then  showed  a  number  of  dissolving  pictures  illusfrating 
the  flower  with  pistil  and  anthers,  and  showing  the  means  used  for 
hybridisation.  Following  this  came  a  most  interesting  slide  showing 
the  top  growth  and  tubers  at  the  end  of  the  first  year,  or,  more  correctly 
speaking,  the  second  year.  A  similar  seedling  was  shown  in  its  fourth 
year,  indicating  the  gradual  maturing  of  the  tubers  into  a  fixed  and 
regular  type.  Mr.  Sutton  here  added  that  it  was  not  until  the  fourth  or 
fifth  year  that  it  is  possible  to  say  how  far  the  character  of  the  seedling 
is  fixed.  Pictures  were  then  given  of  other  species  and  varieties  of 
