and but few of particular excellence.
If the seed is obtained from a red
potato that flowered in the neighbour-
hood of a white tubered variety, the
seedlings, in all probability, will in part
resemble both their parents ; but sel-
dom or never does a seedling resemble
exactly the original stock. At all events,
only such should be preserved as are
recommended by their superior earli-
ness, size, flavour, or fertility.
The early varieties if planted on
little heaps of earth, with a stake in
the middle, and when the plants are
about four inches high, being secured
to the stakes with shreds and nails,
and the earth washed away from the
bases of the stems by means of a strong
current of water, so that the fibrous
roots only enter the soil will blossom
and perfect seed.
Forcing. The season of forcing is
from the close of December to the
middle of February, in a hotbed, and
at the close of this last month on a
warm border, with the temporary shelter
of a frame. The hotbed is only required
to produce a moderate heat. The earth
should be six inches deep, and the sets
planted in rows six or eight inches
POT
[ 740 ]
POT
apart, as the tubers are not required to
be large. The temperature ought never
to sink below 65, nor rise above 80.
The rank steam arising from fer-
menting dung is undoubtedly injurious
to the roots of potatoes ; and to obviate
this they may be planted in narrow
beds, and the dung applied in trenches
on each side ; or all the earth from an
old cucumber or other hotbed being
removed, and an inch in depth of fresh
being added, put on the sets, and cover
them with four inches of mould. At
the end of five days the sides of the old
dung may be cut away in an inward
slanting direction, about fifteen inches
from the perpendicular, and strong
linings of hot dung applied.
If the tubers are desired to be brought
to maturity as speedily as possible, in-
stead of being planted in the earth of
the bed, each set should be placed in
a pot about six inches in diameter ;
though the produce in pots is smaller.
But young potatoes may be obtained in
the winter, according to the following
plan, without forcing :
Plant some late kinds, unsprouted,
in a dry, rich border, in July, and again
in August, in rows two feet apart. They
will produce new potatoes in October,
and in succession until April, if covered
with leaves or straw to exclude frost.
If old potatoes are placed in dry earth,
in a shed, during August, they will
emit young tubers in December.
Preparation of Sets for Forcing.
They should be of the early varieties.
To assist their forward vegetation,
plant a single potato in each of the
pots intended for forcing, during Janu-
ary. Then place in the ground, and
protect with litter from the frost. This
renders them very excitable by heat ;
and, consequently, when plunged in a
hotbed, they vegetate rapidly and gene-
rate tubers. The seed potatoes are
equally assisted, and with less trouble,
if placed in a cellar just in contact with
each other, and as soon as the germs
are four inches long, they are removed
to the hotbed.
Management. More than one stem
should never be allowed, otherwise
the tubers are small, and not more
numerous.
Water must be given whenever the
soil appears dry, and in quantity pro-
portionate to the temperature of the
air. Linings must be applied as the
temperature declines ; and air admitted
as freely as the temperature of the at-
mosphere will allow. Coverings must
be afforded with the same regard to
temperature.
From six to seven weeks usually
elapses between the time of planting
and the fitness of the tubers for use.
Potato Murrain. By the above name
was distinguished a moist gangrene
which first attacked, very generally, the
crop of England late in the summer of
the year 1845. July and August were
unusually wet and cold, and early in
August there were sharp morning
frosts. Immediately after, the stems
began to decay ; but the weather con-
tinuing wet, instead of their decay being
dry, and attended with the usual phe-
nomena of their reduction to mere
: woody fibre, the putrefaction was moist,
j and the smell attendant upon it pre-
j cisely that evolved during the decay of
I dead potato haulm partly under water.
I The stem decayed whilst the fibres
I connecting the tubers with them were
! fresh and juicy the putrefaction spread
along these, the diseased sap being
absorbed by their still immature and
unusually juicy tubers, imparted to
them the gangrene ; the infection first
being apparent at the end nearest the
connecting fibre, spreading gradually
throughout the bark of the tuber, ren-
dering it brown like a decayed apple,
and lastly causing the decay of its
interior portion. Previously to the
final decay, the increased specific gra-
vity of the potato was remarkable,
amounting to one-third more than that
of a healthy tuber an increase caused
by its greater amount of water. When
boiled the potato became black; but
when submitted to a dry heat of about
200, it rapidly lost moisture, and the
progress of the ulceration was retarded,
if not entirely stopped.
The disease seems to be the result
of an excessive degree of wet and
cold, at that period of closing growth
when all bulbs and tubers require
an increased degree of dryness and
POT
warmth. If the hyacinth, or tulip, or
dahlia are submitted to similar unpro-
pitious contingencies, their bulbs or
tubers similarly decay. It is not a new
disease, for to a less extent it has been
noticed before.
The best rules to obtain and preserve
sound potatoes, and a good crop, are
1. Grow none but those which ripen by j
August. 2. Plant whole, middle-sized j
potatoes, o. Plant on moderately light
soil manured some months previously.
4. Apply no manure at the time of
planting. f>. Plant in November in light
dry soils, but not until February in wet
soils. 6. Preserve your seed potatoes
between layers of earth until required.
7. Plant as you dig ; that is, dig enough
for one row, and then plant it with the
dibble so as to avoid trampling on the
ground. 8. Let the tops of the sets be
six inches below the surface. !). Do
not earth up the stems. 10. Do not
cut down the stems. 11. Take up the
crop as soon as the leaves begin to look
yellow in July or early August. 12. Store
in a dry shed between layers of earth,
sand, or coal-ashes.
POTATO, or UNDER-GROUND ONION.
A' Hi um agyr -ega 'turn. Produces a clus-
ter of bulbs or offsets, in number from
two to twelve, and even more, uniformly
beneath the surface of the soil. From
being first introduced to public notice
in Scotland by Captain Burns of Edin-
burgh, it is there also known as the
Burn Onion.
Varieties. There evidently appear
to be two varieties of this vegetable, one
of which bears bulbs on the summit of
its stems, like the Tree-onion, and the {
other never throwing up flower-stems j
at all. One variety is much larger than |
the other, and this vegetates again as j
soon as ripe.
Both varieties are best propagated j
by offsets of the root of moderate size, i
for if those are employed which the one j
variety produces on the summit of its
stems, they seldom do more than in-
crease in size the first year, but are j
prolific the next ; this also occurs if very j
small offsets of the root are employed.
Planting. They may be planted
during October or November, or as
early iu the spring as the season will
[ 741 ] POT
allow, but not later than April. lii
the west of England, assisted by their
genial climate, they plant on the short-
est, and take up on the longest day.
They are either to be inserted in drills,
or by a blunt dibble, eight inches apart
each way, not buried entirely, but the
top of the offset just level with the
surface. Mr. Maher, gardener at Arun-
del Castle, merely places the sets on
the surface, covering them with leaf-
mould, rotten dung, or other light
compost. The beds they are grown in
are better, not more than four feet
wide, for the convenience of cultivation.
The practice of earthing over them,
when the stems have grown up,
is unnatural ; and by so doing the
bulbs are blanched, and prevented ri-
pening perfectly, on which so much
depends their keeping. So far from
following this plan, Mr. Wedgewood,
of Betley, recommends the earth always
to be cleared away down to the ring
from whence the fibres spring, as soon
as the leaves have attained their full
size, and begin to be brown at the top ;
so that a kind of basin is formed round
the bulb. As soon as they vegetate,
they intimate the number of offsets
that will be produced, by showing a
shoot for each.
They attain their full growth towards
the end of July, and become completely
ripe early in September ; for immediate
use, they may be taken up as they
ripen, but for keeping, a little before
they attain perfect maturity.
POTENTI'LLA. Cinquefoil. (From
potens, powerful; supposed medicinal
quality. Nat. ord., Roseivorts [Kosacese] .
Linn., I2-Icosandria 3-Trif/ynia.}
Hardy herbaceous perennials. Candicans
and lineariloba require protection in the winter ;
seeds and division of the plant, in spring ;
shrubs by cuttings of ripe wood in the autumn,
or by cuttings, in summer, under a hand-light ;
good deep sandy loam. All yellow-flowered,
except where otherwise mentioned.
I\ adsce'ndens (ascending). 1. June. Hungary.
1806.
agrimonioi'des ( Agrimony - like). $. July.
Caucasus. 1817.
a'lba (white). . White. May. Wales.
uljic'stris (mountain). . Orange. July.
Britain.
angustifo'lia (narrow - leaved). . June.
Siberia. IS'24.
Anscri'na (Goose Tansy). . July. Britain.
POT
1'OT
P. Apenni'na (Apennine). $. White. May.
Apennines. 1821.
arge'ntea (silvery-leaved). 1. June. Britain.
Astraca'nica (Astracan). 1. July. Siberia.
1/87.
atrosangui'nea, (dark-bloody). l. Purple.
July. Nepaul. 1822.
bi' color (two - coloured). 1. Yellow, red.
March. Nepaul. 1843.
bijlo'ra (two-flowered). . June. Siberia.
1820.
bifu'rca (forked-leaved). . June. Siberia.
1773.
Kubseri'cea (rather-silky). <. June.
Astracan. 1 827.
Bocco'ni (Boccon's). . White. July.
Apennines. 1823.
Canade'nsis (Canadian). 1. June. North
America. 1 800.
ca'ndicans (whitish - leaved], . May.
Mexico. 1820.
caule'scens (stemmed). 1. White. July.
Austria. 1759.
chrysa'ntha (golden -flowered). 1. Golden.
June. Siberia. 1827.
Clusia'na (Clusius's). . White, yellow.
June. Austria. 1806.
colli'na (hill). 1. June. South Europe. 1816.
confe'rta (crowded -flowered). . June.
Altai. 1831.
cro'cea (saffron). 1. Copper. August.
Switzerland. 1816.
dealbu'ta (whitened). 1. July. Altai.
deserto'rum (desert). 1. June. Altai. 1830.
di/u'sa (spreading). 1. July. 1817.
effu'sa (loose-flowered). 1. August. North
America. 1826.
Ege'dii (Eged's). *. May. Denmark. 1820.
filipe'ndula (Dropwort - like). 1. June.
Dahuria. 1823.
flagella'ris (rod). . June. Siberia. 1820.
formo'sa, (beautiful). l. Purple. June.
Nepaul. 1822.
fraga'ria (Strawberry). . \Vhite. May.
Britain.
fragifo'rmis (Strawberry-formed). 1. June.
South Europe. 1800.
frut'wo'sa, (shrubby). 3. July. England.
Dahu'rica (Dahurian). 2. August.
Dahuria. 1824.
tenui'loba (narrow - lobed). l.
August. North America. 1811.
gariepe'njiis (Gariep). White. June. Cape
of Good Hope. 1837.
glandulo'sa (glanded). 1. August. Cali-
fornia. 1830.
'inci'sa (cut - leaved). 2. July.
California. 1835.
gra'cilis (slender). 1. July. North America.
1826.
grandiflo'ra (large -flowered). 1. June.
Siberia. 1640.
Gunthe'ri (Gunther's). I. June. Europe.
1818.
Hippia'na (Hippiani's). 1|. July. North
America. 1826.
hirsii'ta (hairy). 1. June. N.America. 1820.
hy'bridu (hybrid). $. White. June. Ger-
many. 1820.
insi'gnis (showy). 4. July. Nepaul. 1840.
lineari'loba (narrow-lobed), . July. Mexico,
1824.
j P. Loddige'nii (Loddige's). 1. June. Siberia.
macro' ntha (large - flowered). . May.
Siberia. 1820.
Missou'rica (Missouri). 1. June. N.Ame-
rica. 1827.
molli'ssima (softest - leaved). 1A. July.
Europe. 1832.
Monspelie'nsis (Montpelier). $. April.
France. 1680.
multi'fida (many-clef t-leaved). . July.
Siberia. 1759.
angustifo'lia (narrow -leaved). .
June. Siberia.
ni'tida (shining). \. White, red. June.
Switzerland. 1816.
ni'vea (snowy-leaved) . . July. Siberia,
1816.
' macrophy'lla (large-leaved). . June.
N. America. 1827.
pa' tula (spreading). . June. Hungary.
1818.
pectina'ta (comb-leaved). l. July. N.
America. 1826.
peda'ta (doubly-lobed). 1. June. Europe.
1819-
Pennsylva'nica (Pennsylvanian). 1. July.
N. America. 1725.
pimpinelloi'des (Burnet-like). . May.
Levant. 1758.
pulche'rrima (very fair). <|. May. N.Ame-
rica. 1837.
re' eta (upright). 1. June. S. Europe. 1648.
re'ptans (creeping). . May. Britain.
flo're ple'no (double-flowered). .
July. Britain>
variega'ta (variegated-Zeawed). .
July. Britain.
Richardso'nii (Richardson's). 1. July. N.
America. 1826.
rupe'stris (rock). 1. White. June. England.
ruthe'nica (Russian). l. July. Siberia.
1/99;
scri'cea (silky-leaved). . July. Siberia.
1780.
Sieversia'na (Siever's). June. Nepaul. 1822.
speclo'sa (showy). 1. June. Crete. 1821.
stipula'ris (stipuled). 1. July. Siberia. 1727.
Thoma'sii (Thomas's). . June. Italy. 1822.
tridenta'ta(three-tootlied-leaved). %, White.
June. Scotland.
umbro'sa (shady). ^. White. May. Tauria.
1818.
uniflo'ra (one-flowered). ^. May. Dahuria.
1819-
ve'rna (spring). ^. June. Britain.
verticilla'ris (\\lwr\ed-leaved). %. June.
Siberia. 1818.
villo'sa (shaggy). ^. June. N.America.
1820.
visco'sa (clammy). I. July. Dahuria. 1797
POT-HERB MOTH. Mame'stra.
POT-HERBS. See Hcrbary.
PO'THOS. (The Cingalese name for
one species. Nat. ord., Oronli</s
f Orontiaceo3]. Linn., -l-Tetramlria
l-Monoyynia. Allied to Anthuriiuu.)
The following arc stove epiphytes, but there
are many more, and some evergreen trailers,
not worth notice. Dividing the roots, in spring ;
POT
POT
iibry peat, fibry loam, rotten wood, and charcoal.
Winter temp., 55 to 60 ; summer, 60 to 90.
P. angusta'ta (narrow). . May. Trinidad.
1823.
crassine'rvis (thick - nerved). 2. South
America. 1/96.
macrophy'llu (large-leaved). 3. May. West
Indies. 1794.
ntbrine'rvia (red-nerved). 2. South America.
1820.
POT- MAKIGOLD. Cale'ndula ofcina'lis.
POTTING. In perfonning this opera-
tion the Pots are the first consideration,
and for information relative to these,
see Flower-pots.
Time of Potting. This, when neces-
sary, should generally he done after
pruning, and when fresh growth has
taken place. The reason for this is,
that it is advisable never to give more
checks to a plant at once than cannot
be avoided. The cutting down is a
check, the repotting or shifting is an-
other. Therefore, in both cases, we
apply an extra stimulus for a short
time immediately after, by keeping the
plants closer and warmer.
State of the Soil. It should neither
be dry nor wet. If very dry, it will not
pack so well in the pot ; the water, if it
passes freely at all, Avill find chinks and
crannies for itself, and it will be long
before the general mass becomes suf-
ficiently moist to support a healthy
vegetation. On the other hand, if wet
soil is used, it is apt to pack too close ;
frequent waterings are apt to puddle it ;
the very closeness, even when the drain-
age is all right, prevents the air from
penetrating. To know the proper dry-
ness, take a handful ; if by tightly squeez-
ing it just holds together slightly, it will
do ; if it forms a compact mass, so that
it might be laid on the potting-board
without any risk of tumbling to pieces,
it is too wet. It is not necessary that
the whole of the material should be in
a uniform state of moisture ; for in-
stance, we want some rough stuff to
place over the drainage, that may be
drier. The soil is rather fine ; and to
improve its mechanical texture we in-
sert little nodules of fibry loam or peat;
little or big, in proportion to the size
of the pot, and the smallness and large-
ness of the shift given. These nodules,
if not too numerous, may be drier. So
in the case of a manure, which we may
wish to act both as a mechanical agent,
| and to give out its nourishment not at
', once, but for a long period. It should
be old ; but it should be hard and dried.
When rapid action from manure is
required, it should be finely divided,
and regularly mixed with the soil, or
used largely as a mulching or top-
dressing.
The soil should be rough and open.
Exceptions there are, such as a cover-
ing for small seeds, which must be
fine ; in fact, if just pressed into the
appropriate soil, a dusting of silver-sand
scattered over, and then a square of
glass put over the pot, it will answer
better than the finest sifted soil. We
would not use a sieve at all, unless a
very fine one to get rid of the mere
dusty portion ; and this should always
be done before adding sand as a light-
ening agent. The rule to follow, for
general purposes, is to use rough and
lumpy fibry soil, in opposition to that
which is fine and sifted; but let that
roughness consist in numbers of small
rather than a few of larger pieces, and
when the latter are used, let them be
in proportion to the size of the pot>
and the size of the shift given. For
instance, for a 4-inch pot, the largest
pieces may range from the size of peas
to horse-beans ; for an 8-inch pot, the
largest pieces may be like walnuts, but
not many of that size ; and for a 16-inch
pot, a few pieces may be large as eggs,
with every other size downwards, and
well packed with the finer soil from
which the mere dust has been extracted.
Securing and Preparing suitable Soil.
Heath soi/, so necessary for hair-like
rooted plants, can only be procured
from upland commons where the heath
naturally grows. Loam of almost every
quality can be procured by taking the
surface turf from pasture, and the sides
of roads, and building it in narrow
ridges when dry, and using it after
being so built up for six or twelve
months. Failing these sources, for all
plants not requiring peat earth, suitable
soil may be obtained from the sides of
highways, and by skimming off the
flaky material from the tops of ridges
that have been trenched up for some
time in the kitchen- garden. In using
POT
the latter, however, you must in general
be content with small shifts, as you
will not be able to get the soil rough
enough for large ones. The plants,
notwithstanding, will thrive beautifully,
and size for size will often yield more
bloom than if you had used large shifts
and larger pots. If the latter is your
wish, you may use pieces of charcoal,
or, what will answer extremely well, get
a few fibry sods taken off quite thin,
dry them over a furnace, or, what is
better, char the grassy sides by putting
them on an old spade or other iron,
and then place them over a fire ; allow
the sods to be exposed for a few days
to sweeten, and then, if broken into
small pieces, they will not only be
useful for placing over the drainage,
but also for mixing with any, but chiefly
fine soil to keep it open. Where rough
soil is wanted for large shifts, it is best
to pile the turf, when dry, in narrow
stacks, through which the air may cir-
culate, and yet the wet be excluded.
In using such a heap, after the time
specified, there is little occasion to turn
it frequently afterwards, which would
be necessary in the case of other fresh
soil not so exposed; for we must not
forget that every turning we give, while
it renders the soil more aerated and
sweet, renders it also more fine and
dense, from the decomposition of its
fibre. Charcoal, owing to its lightness,
not to speak of its chemical properties,
is the best assistant for rendering the
soil porous; and enough of this may
be got from every garden by charring
the rubbish. Failing that, however,
broken brick, broken pots, and lime-
rubbish may be used with advantage,
if there is nothing in the peculiar plant
to render one or all unsuitable.
Draining. A plant badly drained
will never show fine cultivation. "Where
Avorms are likely to intrude, the convex
side of the potsherd should be placed
over the hole; but for amateurs, no-
thing is better than small caps of tin
or /inc to cover over the hole com-
pletely ; and in either case, plenty of
drainage placed over them, the mate-
rials being smaller as it ascends. For
anything requiring nicety, there ought
to bo at least uiie-incli drainage in a
t 744 ] POT
five-inch pot, and so in proportion.
The best covering for the drainage is a
sprinkling of green moss, to separate
the drainage from the soil; over that
some of the rougher materials should
be placed, and then some of the finer,
on which the base of the ball should
rest.
Potting or Shifting. The pots should
be new or thoroughly clean. No man
deserves to have a nice plant who would
place it in a dirty pot, and rarely will
he be rewarded with one. When he
attempts to shift again, it serves him
right to find that roots and soil alike
are so sticking to the sides of the pot,
that he must break the pot, or lacerate
the roots. Before commencing opera-
tions, see that the ball of the plant is
moist from the centre to the circumfer-
ence. If not, you can never moisten it
afterwards without labour, which may
as well be spared. 2. If you wish to
rattle your plants on until a certain
period, upon the successive shift system,
never allow the roots to mat round the
sides of the pot ; but reshift as soon as
they get there. 3. If the roots should
be a little matted, gently disentangle
them, even though in doing so you get
rid of a good quantity of the old soil,
and spread these roots out into layers,
packing them as you proceed with soil
of various degrees of fineness. 4. The
soil in general should be as high in
temperature, or nearly so, as the plant
enjoyed previously. Cold soil has in-
jured many a fine plant. We have
said nothing of cutting roots, because
that chiefly applies to particular times
! and instances. Generally, when after
i a period of rest, fresh growth is to be
induced.
Immediately - after - treatment. What-
ever system of potting has been adopted,
a greater excitement to growth than
usual should be given. If well watered
previously to potting, and a largish shift
given, little water will be wanted at the
root for a time ; but that should be
several degrees warmer than usual ;
i and frequent syringings in bright
! weather should be imparted, accom-
j panied with shading, if necessary. If
'? u small shift was given, water will be
wanted more freely at the rout; and
POT [ K
here, as well as in the other case, a
higher temperature should for a time
be maintained until fresh growth has
freely commenced, when air and ex-
posure may be more freely given.
See One-shift System.
POTTING- OFF is the term applied to
moving into pots, singly, seedlings or
cuttings from where they have been
grown numerously together.
POTTLE. See Basket.
POUPA'ETIA. (Called Bois de Poupart
in the Isle of Bourbon. Nat. ord.,
Terebinths [Anacardiaceee]. Linn.,
10-Decandria 4t-Pentayyma. Allied to
Spondias.)
Stove evergreen trees. Cuttings of ripe
shoots, in sand, under a bell-glass ; peat and
loam. Winter temp., 55 to 60 ; summer, 60
to 85.
P. Borbo'nica (Bourbon). 40. Purple. Bour-
bon. 1825.
du'lcis (sweet. Otaheite-apple). 30. Yellow-
ish. Society Islands. 1793.
mangi'fera (Mango-bearing). 30. White.
E. Indies. 1820.
POUEEE'TIA. (Named after A. Pour-
ret, a French botanist. Nat. ord.,
Bromelworts [Bromeliacese]. Linn., 6-
Hcxandria l-Monoyynia. Allied to
Dyckia.)
Stove herbaceous perennials, except magnis-
patha, which is a stove epiphyte. Seeds, in a
hotbed, but chiefly by suckers ; sandy loam and
peat. Winter temp., 55 to 60 ; summer, 60
to 85.
P. Altenste'mii (Altenstem's). White. Colom-
bia. 1836.
giga'ntea (gigantic). Carmine,
white. April. Brazil. 1845.
casru'lea (blue). Blue. June. Chili. 1827-
Greenhouse.
conrcta'ta (compressed). 1. Yellow. May.
Chili. 1822.
heterophy'lla (various-leaved). 1. Pink.
May. Mexico. 1838.
magnispa'tha (large-spathed). 3- Green,
white. May. S.America. 1820.
pyramlda'ta (pyramidal). 1. Yellow. June.
Peru. 1822.
recurva't a (curled-back). 1. White. April.
Brazil. 1843.
rubricau'lis (red - stemmed). Blue, red.
June. Chili. 182?.
PRA'TIA. (Named after M. Prat, a
French officer. Nat ord., Lobeliads
[Lobeliacese]. Linn., b-Pcnlandria 1-