248 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
March  12,  1896. 
POTATOES.— No.  2. 
About  a  generation  ago  a  marsh  land  farmer  went  up  to 
London  to  give  evidence  before  a  Committee  of  the  House  of 
Commons  in  favour  of  a  proposed  new  line  through  his  neigh¬ 
bourhood.  When  asked  what  probabilities  of  local  traffic  there 
would  be,  he  said,  “  Why,  a  good  lot  o’  coi  n  and  a  lot  ’o  ’taties.” 
Being  pressed  to  suggest  something  further,  his  only  reply  was, 
many  times  repeated,  “  ’Taties,  taties  !  no  end  o’  taties.”  So  to 
the  new  varieties  every  year  introduced  there  seems  no  end. 
Undesirable  as  it  must  be  to  discourage  enterprise  in  the  field  of 
improvement,  yet  after  going  through  a  dozen  or  more  catalogues, 
one  is  inclined  to  say,  Hold,  enough  ! 
To  go  on  growing  the  same  varieties,  however,  year  after  year 
means  stagnation  and  ultima*  e  failure,  unless  the  “stock”  be 
changed  every  third  or  even  second  year.  A  change  of  soil  and 
climate  is  almost  a  necessity  to  the  Potato  if  it  is  to  be  grown 
to  the  best  advantage,  and  many  a  reputation  gained  by  a  new 
introduction  has  been  due  more  to  change  of  soil  than  to  any 
great  superiority  in  general  qualities.  Scotch  seed  may  be  dis¬ 
appointing  the  first  year,  but  invariably  does  well  the  second. 
Warp  land  farmers  always  have  a  good  demand  for  such  seed, 
which  they  have  grown  one  year. 
Warp  or  limestone  are  1  oth  a  good  change  for  sand ;  we  have 
found  warp  a  good  change  for  limestone.  Seed  from  strong 
land  does  well  generally  on  lighter  soils,  but  not  vice  versa,  and 
we  should  not  recommend  any  from  very  weak,  poor  land  As  a 
rule,  the  heavier  and  richer  the  soil  on  which  the  tuber  has  been 
grown,  the  stronger  the  growth  will  be.  Of  course  necessity  for 
change  of  seed  varies  very  much  according  to  the  kind  Bruce 
or  Imperator  might  be  grown  four  years  with  as  much  safety  as 
Hebrons  or  Elephants ;  Sutton’s  Abundance  or  Jeannie  Deans 
might  be  grown  two  years. 
An  endless  discussion  might  be  raised  on  the  most  suitable 
size  of  tuber  to  plant ;  also  on  the  advantages  and  disadvantages 
of  “  cut”  as  against  “  whole”  sets  Cut  tubers  have  a  decided 
tendency  in  the  direction  of  early  maturity,  the  produce  being 
large  in  size,  but  few  in  number.  Small  whole  sets,  say  2  to 
3  ozs  in  weight,  are  the  size  most  generally  used.  They  will 
pass  through  a  If  inch  mesh,  and  as  main  crop  sorts  for  winter 
and  spring  use,  we  have  found  them  to  be  the  best. 
For  early  and  second  early  work  the  case  is  different,  and 
large  tubers  may  often  be  cut  and  planted  with  advantage. 
Never  cut  a  Potato  under  any  ordinary  circumstances,  however 
large,  into  more  than  two  parts,  or  there  will  be  great  danger 
from  dry  rot.  To  minimise  this  danger  cut  them  a  few  days 
before  planting  ;  the  cut  surface  will  then  be  dry  and  partly 
skinned  over,  then  no  bleeding  of  the  sap  will  occur.  If  time 
will  not  allow  of  this  a  little  quicklime  dusted  on  the  cut  surface 
will  have  a  similar  effect.  When  cut  do  not  put  the  tubers  in 
very  large  heaps  if  to  remain  more  than  a  day  or  two,  as  the  sap 
from  the  cut  surfaces  may  cause  heating,  which  will  result  in 
grave  damage  to  their  value  as  seed 
For  field  culture  we  need  not  take  into  account  the  early 
varieties,  but  pass  on  to  second  earlies — i.e.,  those  ready  for  use 
from  July  to  September  That  old  mainstay,  Myatt’s  Prolific, 
owing  to  its  tendency  to  disease,  has  dropped  almost  out  of  sight 
with  its  successor,  the  old  Regent,  their  places  now  being  filled 
by  Snowdrop,  White  Elephant,  Beauty  of  Hebron,  and  Reading 
Giant.  The  first  three  mature  rapidly  and  are  heavy  croppers, 
but  all  more  or  less  liable  to  disease.  Reading  Giant  is  a  little 
later,  but  hardier  and  a  heavier  cropper.  It  is  probably  at  the 
present  time  more  grown  than  any  other  kind,  and  is  largely 
used  for  chipping.  Jeannie  Deans  is  as  early,  prolific,  and 
beautiful  in  quality,  but  tender.  All  these  varieties  will  bear 
generous  treatment. 
Following  them  for  autumn  we  can  confidently  recommend 
Her  Majesty ;  the  quality  is  undeniable,  and  with  liberal  treat¬ 
ment  the  crop  all  that  can  be  desired.  Ripening  early  in 
September  it  can  be  stored,  or  got  away  before  November 
without  storing — a  point  now  straw  is  so  valuable.  Sutton’s 
Abundance  is  a  beautiful  Potato,  perfect  when  sound  Of  the 
later  sorts  the  best  are  Bruce  and  Maincrop  ;  both  require  a  rich 
soil  The  former  is  the  heavier  cropper,  the  latter  the  better 
in  quality— in  fact,  this  Potato  generally  commands  the  highest 
price . 
Like  the  rustic  who  hearing  the  parson  incidentally  remark 
in  his  sermon  that  commentators  did  not  agree  with  him. 
hurried  up  to  the  vicarage  next  morning  with  a  baske  ful  of 
picked  tubers  of  an  extra  digestible  kind,  we  are  all  apt  to 
think  that  our  own  are  the  best ;  still,  there  must  be  the  best  of 
all  somewhere,  and  experto  crede,  if  you  want  three  reliable 
Potatoes  for  the  field,  and  a  good  supply  from  July  to  May,  try 
Reading  Giant,  Her  Majesty,  and  Bruce.  If  extra  keeping  quality 
is  desired,  for  Bruce  substitute  Maincrop. 
WORK  ON  THE  HOME  FARM. 
As  March  often  briDgs  a  bit  of  sharp  frost  it  is  well  to  take  advantage 
of  such  frost  to  lead  out  any  remaining  foldyard  manure.  This  winter 
has,  with  its  soft  roads  and  fields,  made  manure  leading  an  awfal 
business — trying  to  the  horses,  trying  to  the  men,  and  trying  to  the  carts. 
It  is  heavy  work  at  the  best  of  times. 
In  the  northern  counties  lambing  is  in  full  swing,  and  again  we  hear 
of  ewe  losses  from  excess  of  Turnip  diet,  and  this  year  there  has  been  no 
excuse.  A  good  bite  of  grass,  seeds  sostrong  and  well  set  that  a  treading 
by  sheep  would  have  done  them  good  rather  than  harm,  and  yet  here 
comes  the  old  story.  When  will  men  learn  wisdom?  Can  we  impress 
on  the  shepherd  too  often  the  great  necessity  for  scrupulous  cleanliness 
in  all  that  appertains  to  the  lambing,  and  just  drop  a  hint  as  to  the 
dangers  of  meddlesome  midwifery  ?  If  the  weather  be  cold  remember 
a  lamb  with  a  full  stomach  is  as  a  soldier  armed  at  all  points. 
With  regard  to  store  cattle,  we  are  now  knocking  off  nearly  all  cake 
and  cut  meat — i.e.,  chaffed  straw.  Swedes  are  so  abundant  that  two 
loads  a  day  can  be  easily  spared.  Cake  and  straw  both  keep  well,  and 
may  be  very  much  needed  before  another  Christmas.  Remember,  too, 
fine  as  the  weather  is,  the  cuckoo  has  not  begun  to  sing  yet,  and  there 
are  such  things  as  bitter  May  frosts,  so  do  not  waste  an  ounce  of  fodder. 
Carrots,  too,  are  a  drug  in  the  market,  and  if  bought  for,  say,  15s.  per 
ton,  might  be  used  to  great  advantage  for  draught  horses.  They  have 
had  a  long  course  of  hard  corn,  and  Carrots  are  a  pleasant  form  of  spring 
medicine,  cooling  to  the  system,  and  purifying  to  the  blood.  They  must 
be  used  in  addition  to,  not  in  place  of,  other  food.  A  well  known 
hunting  man  of  our  acquaintance  is  now  buyffig  Carrots  for  summer 
feed.  These  will  be  given  to  hunters  in  loose  boxes,  and  will,  if  carefully 
stored,  be  good  up  to  the  end  of  July  or  beginning  of  August.  Carriage 
horses  would  be  benefited  by  a  like  change  of  diet ;  indeed  a  horse  that 
is  a  delicate  feeder,  and  of  a  nervous,  fretful  disposition,  will  often  eat 
Carrots  when  it  cannot  be  tempted  by  any  other  form  of  food.  We 
mention  these  points,  as  so  often  the  home  farm  has  to  supply  corn, 
fodder,  and  other  feeding  stuffs  for  use  in  the  hall  stables. 
METEOROLOGICAL  OBSERVATIONS. 
Camden  Square.  London. 
Lat.51°  3a' 40"  N. ;  Long.  0°  8/  0"  W.;  Altitude  111  feet. 
Date. 
9  A.M. 
In  the  Day. 
Rain. 
1896 
March. 
Barometer  i 
at  32°,  and 
|  Sea  Level.  | 
Hygrometer. 
Direc¬ 
tion  of 
Wind. 
Temp, 
of  soil 
at 
1  foot. 
Shade  Tem¬ 
perature. 
Radiation 
Temperature 
Dry. 
Wet. 
Max. 
Min. 
In 
Sun. 
On 
Grass. 
Inchs. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
deg. 
Inchs. 
Sunday  . . 
1 
29-722 
50-2 
48-5 
W.S.W. 
41-0 
53-0 
44-0 
6-0 
37-3 
0-049 
Monday  .. 
2 
29-551 
41-2 
38-7 
W. 
41-1 
49-1 
86-9 
76-9 
31-2 
0-258 
Tuesday  . . 
3 
28-879 
43-5 
40-8 
W. 
40-9 
47-6 
42-1 
83-6 
36-4 
0-022 
Wednesday 
4 
28-847 
41-1 
37-9 
S.W. 
40-0 
48-0 
34-4 
86-4 
28-1 
0-169 
Thursday . . 
6 
29-408 
43*7 
39-9 
N.W. 
39-6 
50-6 
34-0 
83-9 
27-3 
o-oio 
Friday 
6 
29-769 
48-7 
45-4 
N.W. 
40-4 
53-0 
43-1 
62-1 
38-0 
— 
Saturday  . . 
7 
80-069 
44-1 
39-4 
w. 
41-8 
53-0 
40-0 
58-0 
31-9 
0-455 
29-464 
44-6 
41-5 
40-7 
50-6 
39-2 
73-0 
32-9 
0-963 
1st.— Almost  continuous  drizzle  in  morning,  and  overcast  till  4  P.M. ;  sunny  after,  and 
clear  night. 
2nd.— Fine,  and  generally  sunny  day  ;  gale  at  night. 
3rd.— Gale  early,  and  heavy  rain  from  5  a.m.  to  8  A.M. ;  alternate  sunshine  and  slight 
showers  of  rain  and  soft  hail  during  the  day. 
4th. — Sunshine  and  slight  showers  at  intervals ;  heavy  rain  from  3.30  P.M.  to  5  P.M. ; 
clear  night. 
6th, — Bright  sunshine  almost  throughout. 
6th. — Overcast  all  day,  with  high  wind  in  afternoon  and  evening. 
7th. — Overcast  day,  with  rain  from  10.30  A.M.  to  2.30  r.11,  and  6.30  P.M.  to  midnight. 
Rather  April-like  weather,  much  warmer  than  the  previous  week  ;  much  sun  and 
(happily)  nearly  an  inch  of  rain.  Low  barometer  on  3rd  and  4tb.— G.  J.  Symons. 
