December  7,  1S99. 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER, 
499 
enough  to  win  anywhere.  I  entered  accordingly,  and  the  lesson  then 
taught  me  has  not  been  forgotten.  Arriving  at  South  Kensington  about 
forty  minutes  before  the  time  fixed  for  the  commencement  of  judging,  I 
comnienced  to  arrange  my  collection  of  twelve  kinds.  I  was  quite 
bewildered,  for  all  the  best  exhibitors  of  the  day  were  there  in  force,  and 
to  my  surprise  they  had  nearly  completed  staging,  and  the  majority  had 
arranged  their  collections  and  carefully  covered  them  up  with  white  paper. 
Six  prizes  were  offered,  and  I  was  only  fifth,  as  there  was  a  strong  com¬ 
petition,  and  it  was  some  satisfaction  to  find  that  I  had  not  been  left  out 
altogether.  I  can  assure  my  readers  I  returned  home  a  sadder  but  a 
wiser  man.  I  well  remember  that  Mr.  Miles  of  Wycombe  Abbey  was  a 
splendid  first,  having  not  only  productions  of  the  very  best  quality,  but 
splendidly  arranged.  Few  men  ever  exhibited  in  better  fcrm  than  he  did, 
and  to  him  I  owe  much  of  my  success  as  an  exhibitor  of  vegetables  in 
after  life,  Most  of  my  time  during  that  afternoon  was  spent  closely 
examining  every  detail  connected  with  that  exhibit,  and  the  best  of  the 
others,  determining  to  do  better  in  the  future  if  possible.  The  following 
year,  in  the  same  month,  and  with  about  the  same  exhibitors,  I  was  placed 
third  ;  but  the  next  year,  at  the  same  place,  1  was  rewarded  with  three 
first  prizes,  two  in  the  summer  and  one  in  the  autumn.  I  mention  this 
not  from  egotism,  but  as  an  incentive  to  young  exhibitors  to  thoroughly 
learn  the  object  lessons  given  at  competitive  gatherings. 
end  tubers,  and  the  mixture  for  planting  them  in.  The  ground  should  be 
thoroughly  trenched  during  winter,  and  at  the  bottom  of  each  trench  a 
coating  of  about  4  inches  of  long  stable  litter  should  be  given,  leaving  the 
surface  rough  and  uneven,  thus  allowing  the  frost  and  winds  to  thoroughly 
pulverise  the  soil.  Early  in  March  the  planting  should  be  done.  Prepare 
a  mixture  of  half-decayed  horse  manure — that  from  an  old  Mushroom 
bed  is  preferable  to  any  other — and  half  good  leaf  mould.  This  should 
all  be  passed  through  a  sieve  with  half-irch  mesh,  and  thoroughly  mixed. 
A  good  trench  should  be  taken  out  with  the  spade  at  least  a  foot  in  depth, 
and  in  this  should  be  put  about  6  inches  of  the  mixture. 
Assuming  the  sets  to  have  been  properly  prepared,  they  should  be 
carefully  laid  on  the  soil  at  a  distance  of  2  feet  apart.  Then  fill  up  the 
trench  with  the  same  kind  of  mixture,  and  over  this  draw  a  little  of  the 
finest  of  the  soil  taken  from  the  trench.  Neatly  rake  over  and  make  a 
mark  down  the  centre.  The  distance  between  the  rows  should  be  3  feet 
6  inches  ;  it  will  be  found  far  better  to  thoroughly  cultivate  a  few  rows 
than  to  only  half  prepare  a  large  number,  as  it  will  be  found  that  a  very 
large  percentage  will  turn  out  fit  for  the  exhibition  stage.  If  horse 
manure  cannot  be  readily  obtained  pure  leaf  soil  will  answer  almost  as 
w  ell.  Hoe  the  crops  frequently  and  thoroughly,  protecting  them  if  neces¬ 
sary,  and  earth  up  as  soon  as  ready.  When  the  haulm  has  grown  a 
moderate  height  and  is  likely  to  fall  down  it  should  be  kept  in  an  upright 
Fig.  88. — AN  ALDENHAM  HOUSE  ONION  BED 
From  such  general  remaiks  the  author*  passes  to  the  consideration 
of  the  culture  of  all  the  principal  vegetables,  and  it  is  here  that  in 
some  instances  the  instructions  are  occasionally  too  minute  for 
general  convenience.  But,  then,  it  is  for  the  reader  to  digest  the 
information,  aud  adapt  all  he  can  of  it  to  his  own  circumstances. 
Instructors  do  not  necessarily  wish  their  pupils  to,  in  all  cases,  strain 
to  follow  the  precise  “  letter  of  the  law,”  but  to  so  imbibe  the  concrete 
principle  as  to  enable  them  in  varying  phases  to  travel  as  closely  to 
the  line  as  may  be.  That  the  advice  given  is  thoroughly  sound  no 
one  will  doubt  for  one  moment,  but  in  one  or  two  cases  equally 
satisfactory  results  will  accrue  to  the  cultivator  who,  perforce  of 
circumstances,  adopts  simpler  methods  of  procedure. 
In  order  to  give  a  clearer  conception  of  the  work,  we  cannot  do 
better  than  select  a  portion  of  the  remarks  on  Potatoes,  choosing  that 
portion  which  has  special  reference  to  the  production  of  exhibition 
tubers.  Relative  to  this  phase  of  culture  Mr.  Beckett  says  : — 
Only  a  favoured  few  who  are  fortunate  enough  to  have  an  ideal  Potato 
soil  can  hope  to  obtain  such  splendid  specimens  as  are  often  seen  on  the 
show  tables,  unless  some  special  means  are  taken  to  produce  them.  Here 
on  a  stiff,  wet,  London  clay  it  is  absolutely  impossible  to  have  well-shaped, 
clear  Potatoes  by  ordinary  methods  of  cultivation.  Hence  some  special 
treatment  must  be  given  to  them.  I  have  made  numerous  experiments, 
and  was  much  puzzled  for  many  years  before  I  could  ensure  satisfactory 
results.  I  tried  the  best  varieties,  different  times  and  modes  of  planting, 
and  many  kinds  ot  mixtures  in  the  way  of  compost,  but  the  result  gene¬ 
rally  was  disappointing.  Notwithstanding,  I  was  determined,  if  possible, 
to  continue  until  I  satisfied  rryself,  and  I  can  now  say  I  have  done  so.  I 
considei  the  principal  points  are  an  open  sunny  position  on  a  well-drained 
piece  of  ground,  early  planting,  allowing  plenty  of  room  between  the  rows 
position  by  driving  in  a  few  stakes  each  side  of  the  row  and  stretching 
two  or  three  stout  lines  of  string  along.  This  is  a  very  neat  and  efficient 
mode  of  keeping  them  in  position,  and  I  consider  it  of  the  utmost 
importance.  As  soon  as  the  growth  is  completed  and  it  is  safe  to  lift  the 
crop,  cut  off  the  tops  and  lift  without  delay,  carefully  storing  as  before 
advised. 
In  my  opinion.  Potatoes  are  generally  exhibited  much  too  large,  but 
as  long  as  exhibitors  have  to  submit  them  to  judges  who  favour  large 
tubers,  so  loug  will  big  specimens  continue  to  be  staged.  I  consider  a 
Potato  should  be  of  medium  size,  shallow  eyed,  free  from  scab  or  cracks, 
and  the  skin  quite  clear  but  not  necessarily  smooth,  as  a  roughness  in 
the  skin  generally  denotes  good  cooking  qualities.  They  should  be  washed 
thoroughly  clean  on  the  afternoon  before  the  show  in  soap  and  water 
with  a  piece  of  soft  sponge,  and  as  soon  as  dry  wrapped  in  clean  soft  white 
or  brown  paper.  Care  should  be  taken  not  to  expose  them  to  the  air 
more  than  is  necessary,  or  much  of  the  fresh  appearance  will  be  lost.  Six 
or  nine  is  the  number  generally  shown,  and  they  should  be  presented  as 
even  in  size  as  possible. 
This  excerpt  is  a  fair  example  of  the  style  of  treatment  of  each 
individual  crop.  As  a  further  sample  we  are  able,  by  the  courtesy  of 
the  publishers,  to  give  (fig.  88)  a  photographic  reproduction  of  one  of  the 
Aldenham  House  Onion  beds,  in  which  can  be  seen  many  bulbs  that 
are  well  up  to  the  exhibition  standard.  In  conclusion  we  may 
heartily  commend  the  work,  which  is  admirably  printed  on  good 
paper  and  effectively  illustrated,  to  readers  of  the  Journal  of  Horti¬ 
culture.  It  will  be  read  with  interest  by  growers  of  vegetables,  and 
diligent  seekers  after  knowledge  will  find  in  its  216  pages  many  points, 
many  suggestions,  and  many  hints  that  cannot  fail  to  redound  to 
their  benefit  when  they  are  embodied  in  their  own  future  practice.  £ 
