264 
JOURNAL  OF  HORTICULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
September  17,  1903. 
Bishopsgate  streete.”  Three  kinds  of  Potatoes  are  described, 
viz.,  Spanish  or  Convolvulus  Batatas — the  Potato  of  Shakes- 
jieare  ;  Virginia  Potatoes — the  sort  of  the  present  day,  which 
were  not  much  in  use  ;  and  Potatoes  of  Canada  or  Jerusalem 
Artichokes,”  so  common  that  even  the  most  vulgar  begin  to 
despise  them.” 
Of  Peas  there  is  nothing  new  to  be  said,  only  that  the 
earliest  were  produced  at  Fulham.  It  is  not  a  little  curious 
to  find  Physalis  Alkekengi  figuring  as  a  vegetable,  and  also 
tne  Strawberry,  the  constant  use  of  the  foliage  no  doubt 
being  the  reason  in  its  case. 
Parkinson’s  Orchard  is  superior  in  many  respects  to  that 
of  Lawson,  though  it  is  perhaps  hardly  worth  while  to  in¬ 
dicate  too  closely  the  respects  in  which  that  is  so.  The 
method  of  managing  wall  trees  at  this  period  are,  however, 
so  interesting  that  a  few  words  must  be  permitted  on  this, 
and  let  it  be  remembered  that  the  writer  is  detailing  not 
so  much  his  own  practice  as  the  best  methods  employed  by 
gardeners  of  his  acquaintance. 
“  Divers,”  he  remarks,  “  by  carefully  nipping  away  the 
waste  and  superfluous  buds,  doe  keepe  their  trees  in  con¬ 
formity,  without  much  cutting.”  It  was  the  practice  of 
some  others  to  anticipate  the  usual  winter  pruning  and 
training  by  overhauling  their  trees  after  the  fruit  was 
gathered.  Then,  can  anyone  to-day  improve  on  the  local 
treatment  of  canker  1  “Most  men,”  he  says,  “doe  wholly 
cut  away  as  much  as  is  fretted  with  the  canker,  and  then 
dresse  it — with  vinegar  and  cow’s  dung.”  The  last-named 
mixed  with  urine  is  recommended  as  a  wash  to  apply  to 
the  stems  of  Apples  and  Pears  to  protect  from  rabbits  and 
hares.  I  have  used  the  same  with  the  addition  of  a  little 
clay  with  every  success.  Concerning  Vines,  he  considered 
it  fruitless  labour  to  attempt  planting  vineyards,  but  he 
commends  the  practice  of  raising  Grapes  on  walls,  and 
cautions  against  allowing  the  Vines  to  bear  too  many 
bunches. 
No  fewer  than  twenty-four  kinds  of  Grapes  are  de¬ 
scribed  ;  some  of  these  are  still  familiar.  '  Of  the  White 
Muscadine,  he  relates  bunches  had  been  produced  that 
weighed  6lb,  and  berries  half  an  ounce  each.  The  Fron- 
tignac  and  Alligant  will  also  be  recognised.  A  very  large 
number  of  Cherries  ar§  mentioned,  and  also  of  Plums  ; 
while  the  list  of  Peaches  is  remarkable,  Newington  being 
a  variety  still  familiar.  Of  Nectarines  seven  sorts  are  de¬ 
scribed,  and  were  held  in  higher  esteem  than  were  Peaches. 
Apples  were  numerous,  and  among  these  are  such 
familiar  names  as  Golden  Pippin,  Flower  of  Kent.  Densan, 
Leathercoat,  and  Cat’s-head.  Even  more  interesting  is  the 
chapter  on  Pears,  as  indicating  the  great  variety  of  that 
pleasant  fruit  in  general  cultivation,  and  not  a  few  of  these 
by  their  names  undoubtedly  English,  as,  for  instance,  the 
Windsor.  “  Peare  Gorgonell  is  an  early  Peare,  somewhat 
long,  and  of  a  very  pleasant  taste.  ” 
Hoav  exceedingly  plentiful  Avas  this  fruit  may  be  gathered 
from  the  remark  :  “  They  are  eaten  familiarly  of  all  sorts 
of  people,  of  some  for  delight,  and  of  others  for  nourish¬ 
ment,  being  baked,  steAved,  or  scalded.”  In  the  chapter 
on  “  Oranges,”  in  Avhich  it  is  stated  that  Citrons  and 
Lemons  Avill  not  live  in  England,  some  interesting  notes 
occur  on  the  method  of  Avintering  the  plants,  and  Avhat 
may  be  called  an  early  form  of  plant-house  described.  They 
Avere  placed  in  the  open  in  summer,  but  had  to  be  pro¬ 
tected  in  Avinter,  as  he  says  in  some  instances,  Avhen 
planted  in  “  great  square  boxes  ”  by  being  removed  under 
cover,  “  others  plant  them  against  a  bricke  Avail  in  the 
ground,  and  d;gfend  them  by  a  shed  of  boardes,  covered 
over  Avith  a  seare-cloth  in  the  winter,  and  by  the  Avarmth 
of  a  stove  or  other  such  thing  giAm  them  some  comfort  in 
the  colder  times  ;  but  no  tent  or  mean  provision  Avill  pre¬ 
serve  them.”  The  Avhole  of  the  treatise  of  fruits,  indeed, 
bears  out  Avhat  the  author  affirms  in  the  Epistle  to  the 
Header,  that  the  country  at  this  time  AAms  better  stored 
and  furnished  Avith  fruit  than  “  ever  in  any  age  before.” 
The  book  is  Avell  knoAAm  to  haA’e  been  published  in  1629, 
but  Parkinson  states  that  it  Avas  long  before  this  intended 
to  be  published,  so  that  it  may  Avell  be  accepted  as  pic¬ 
turing  the  best  things  in  cultivation  at  the  period  under 
revieAv — the  earlier  years  of  the  seA'enteenth  century. 
A  fcAv  items  of  interest  from  a  contemporary  Avriter, 
Avho,  among  other- subjects,  treated  gardening  from  a  com¬ 
mercial  point  of  AueAv,  may  be  of  interest  as  rounding  off 
the  question  in  all  its  phases.  Ground  for  market  garden¬ 
ing  near  London  was  let  as  high  at  this  period  as  £6  an 
acre,  and  among  the  crops  mentioned  as  being  cultivated 
in  large  breadths  are  Eoses,  Cloves,  GillifloAvers,  Liquorice, 
and  Lavender.  Turnips  and  Kidney  Beans  Avere  also  grown 
by  the  acre,  and  StraAvberries  seem  also  to  have  been  ex¬ 
tensively  cultivated,  a  method  of  producing  large  fruits  by 
the  application  of  manure  water  shoAving  that  the  business 
Avas  carried  out  on  other  than  haphazard  lines. 
It  seems  hardly  credible  that  many  crops  produced  £50 
and  £60  an  acre,  and  it  is  plain  that  a  market  gardener 
300  years  ago  enjoyed  a  more  rosy  existence  than  his 
present  day  representative.  He  AA^as,  hoAvever,  a  noto¬ 
riously  exclusive  individual,  and  in  order  to  guard  against 
the  repeated  introduction  of  a  neAv  species — the  private 
gardener — into  his  ranks,  he  secured  from  James  I.  a  mono¬ 
poly  of  the  trade,  and  we  find  him  quite  a  century  later 
putting  the  poAver  placed  in  his  hand,  if  not  to  oust  from 
the  ranks,  at  least  to  persecute  to  the  utmost,  a  gardener 
— SAvitzer — Avho  attempted  to  establish  himself  among 
them. — B. 
- - 
The  Potato  Disease. 
A  Puzzle  for  Scientists, 
We  are  a  puzzle-solving  race — or  at  least  Ave  ought  to  be — 
judging  by  the  AA’ave  of  solve-me-if-you-can  competition  whicli  is 
passing  over  the  land.  Millions  of  the  British  race  must  each 
week  be  deeply  engrossed  in  attempting  to  unravel  the  posers  set 
them  in  periodicals,  Avhich  vie  AAuth  each  other  in  the  attempt  to 
catch,  and  hold,  the  public  e.ye.  Some  good  is  undoubtedly  done 
by  such  means,  as  it  shows  a  Avay  in  Avhich  all  may  spend  a  pleasant 
hour,  and  leads  others  to  beconie  thinkers  and  investigators.  Be¬ 
yond  that,  hoAvever,  Avhen  the  puzzles  have  been  chiefly  solved, 
the  Avorld  in  general  is  none  the  better,  and  there  is  no  advanca- 
ment  to  be  recorded  on  the  credit  .side  of  human  knoAA'ledge.  How 
different  things  might  be  if  the  tremendous  amount  of  mental 
energy  exerted  in  solving  problems,  already  knoAvn  to  a  fcAV, 
could  be  directed  toAvard  the  .serious  ones  Avhich  confront  us  in 
various  Avalks  of  life. 
In  matters  connected  Avith  gardening  there  is  certainly  no  lack 
of  problems  aAAaiting  satisfactory  solution,  and  if  the  thoughts  and 
obserA^ant  poAvers  of  all  interested  in  “  Adam’s  art  ”  can  in  the 
future  be  more  closely  concentrated  upon  .such  problems,  progress 
Avill  inevitably  folloAV. 
Among  crops  generally  groAvn  the  Potato  Avill  supply  enough 
curious  examples  of  erratic  behaviour  to  engage  the  attention  of 
a  fcAV  thousands,  and  there  are  many  puzzles  connected  with  the 
disease  Avhich  haA-e  not  yet  been  sati.sfactorily  .solved,  although 
great  advances  have  been  made  during  the  last  tAventy  years.  In 
this  matter  Ave  are  greatb'  indebted  to  scientists,  AA'ho  have  taught 
us  much  concerni]Ag  the  dreaded  disease,  Phytophthora  infestans, 
and  have  provided  a  A'aluable  remedy  Avhich  is  unfortunately  too 
little  used. 
Eecent  observations  have,  hoAvever,  convinced  me  that  there 
is  a  “missing  link,”  if  not  several  “missing  links,”  as  to  the 
various  methods  by  Avliich  the  disease  is  spread.  The  usual  course 
by  Avhich  it  is  transmitted  to  the  tubers  is  through  the  medium  of 
leaves  and  stems.  The  active  spores,  having  settled  on  the  leaves, 
spread  their  mycelium  through  the  tissues  of  such  leaves,  and 
doAvnAvard  through  the  stems  to  the  tubers.  It  must,  therefore, 
necessarily  folloAv  that  the  disease  should  first  attack  the  tuber 
at  the  point  Avhere  it  is  connected  Avith  the  .stem  by  means  of  tin 
thread-like  off-.shoots.  This  is  so  in  many  instances,  but  by  no 
means  in  all,  and  hence  arises  the  question  as  to  whether  a  tuber 
.  may  not  contract  disease  from  active  spores  in  the  soil  Avithout 
any  connection  AA’ith  top  ground.*^ 
I  am  led  to  ask  this  question  in  consequence  of  a  puzzle  Avhich 
was  brought  to  my  notice  a  fcAv  daj's  ago  AA-hen  visiting  some  noted 
Potato  gro-Avers.  I  then  saAV  a  splendid  crop — such  as  Avould 
delight  the  eye  of  an  exhibitor — being  lifted,  and  disease  Avas 
already  apparent  in  some  of  the  finest  tubers.  The  grower.-; 
selected  a  beautiful  shapely  example  six  or  eight  inches  in  length, 
and  dreAV  my  attention  to  the  fact  that  it  Avas  only,  diseased  on 
the  end  opposite  to  that  by  Avhich  it  Avas  connected  Avith  the  stem  : 
on  no  other  part  of  the  skin  could  the  slightest  trace  of  disease  be 
found.  The  Potato  Avas  then  cut  into  equal  parts,  from  end  to 
end,  Avhen  it  Avas  clearly  seen  that  the  disease  had  only  penetrated 
the  outer  skin:  not  a  trace  could  be  seen  in  the  starchy  matter, 
and  none  near  the  thread-lilie  stem  groAvth  Avhich  connected  the 
tuber  Avith  the  main  stem.  No  other  tubers  Avere  groAving  near 
enough  to  touch  this  particular  one,  and  as  it  had  clearly  not  con¬ 
tracted  disease  from  the  stem,  from  Avhence  did  the  disease  come? 
The  only  conclusion  I  can  advance  is  that  the  active  spores 
Avhich  fell  from  the  leaves  on  the  soil,  Avere  able  to  penetrate  the 
soil,  and  to  find  as  suitable  a  medium  for  germination  and  groAvth 
on  the  tuber  as  on  the  leaf.  This  is  a  point  of  interest  to  all,  and 
if  any  of  the  able  scientists  connected  Avith  the  Royal  Horticultural 
j  Society  can  throAv  light  on  the  matter  a  puzzle  having  great  prac- 
1  tical  -value  Avill  be  solved. — R.  H.  S. 
