* 



- 7 6- 



the Mikado. By selecting seeds from plants bearing the greatest 

 number of regular fruits, we have secured plants of this variety 

 more regular in fruit than the commercial stocks. 



2. The effect of heavy fertilizing. Our experiments last year* 

 showed that the common notion that heavy manuring lessens 

 productiveness of the tomato is open to doubt. Excessively 

 manured soil gave nearly twice heavier yields than unfertilized 

 soil and a third heavier than nitrate of soda treatment. The test 

 was repeated this year upon the same areas, as follows : 



I. Originally rich garden soil, 60x30 ft., received 5,460 lbs. of 

 rotted stable manure in 1889 and 1,490 lbs. in 1890. Fifty plants 

 of Ignotum were grown upon this plat this year. 



Fig. 1. Plat I. — Heavy Manuring. 



II. Adjoining plat I, but considerably poorer in quality — some 

 of the surface soil having been removed in 1888 — was treated to 

 nitrate of soda in 1889. This year a space 30x36 ft. was selected, 

 set to 24 plants of Ignotum, and treated broadcast with nitrate of 

 soda as follows : 2 lbs., June 24 ; 2 lbs., July 18 ; 4 lbs., Aug. 5. 



III. An area of the same size as plat II and which bore a crop of 

 tomatoes in 1889, without fertilizer, was this year treated broad- 



* Cf. Bulletin X. 



