New York Agricultural Experiment Station. 263 



Experiments of 1895-6. 

 First Test Using Single-stem Plants. 



September 26, 1895, sixty-seven plants were put on the benches 

 of the tomato house for training to single stem, thirty-three of 

 which were transplanted to the soil on the bench. These are 

 referred to in this bulletin as plants " not in pots." The remain- 

 ing thirty-four plants were plunged in the soil of the bench in 

 the 2^-inch pots in which they were growing and the soil was 

 mounded over the top of the pot so as to favor the sending forth 

 of roots from the stem above the pot. These are referred to as 

 plants " in pots." The arrangement of the two lots of plants may 

 be seen by consulting the diagram, Plate VI. 



At the time they were put on the benches the plants in pots 

 had an average height of 2.45 inches and the corresponding plants 

 not in pots averaged 3.35 inches high. On account of this differ- 

 ence in size the two classes of plants may not be strictly com- 

 parable, but as they may give some indication of the compara- 

 tive value of the two methods of treatment, their records are 

 given for what they are worth. 



By October 5 many of the plants in pots were sending out roots 

 above the pots, which soon filled the surrounding soil. They did 

 not make as vigorous growth as the corresponding plants out 

 of pots did, but it must be remembered that they were somewhat 

 smaller plants to start with. Besides this, they occupied one-half 

 of the south bench which, as has already been pointed out, page 

 251, is a less favorable location for forcing tomatoes in winter 

 than is the north bench on which the plants not in pots were 

 located. The arrangement of the plants may be seen by consult- 

 ing the diagram, Plate VI. 



October 28, about a month after they were benched, the plants 

 in pots averaged 8.31 inches hig^ and those not in pots averaged 

 12.58 inches. Their later record is summarized in the following 

 table : 



