VEGETABLES. 241 



Suppose a beginner was asked which of the sort he should plant 

 for Large Red ; I remark that Alger is early and prolific ; Chi- 

 huhua is very late, enormously large, but apt to decay before fully 

 maturing. I also add that the Efound Red sorts are much the 

 more popular in the market. Of the Round Red kind I will 

 here remark, that for want of proper care in selecting seed stock, 

 and also from a natural tendency to deteriorate, which may be 

 influenced by locality and season, they will sometimes grow 

 irregular in shape. Of those named, Cook's Favorite has so 

 deteriorated with me, that for the future I shall not grow it. 

 Tilden, though yet an excellent tomato, is not so regular in 

 shape as when it was first sent out. 



Let us now classify our tomatoes with reference to earliness. 

 First, however, let us dismiss the Cherry, Grape, Plum and Fig 

 sorts, with the remark that with the exception of the Fig they 

 are all early sorts; that for flavor . they cannot be surpassed; 

 that they are all highly ornamental ; that they are the best sorts 

 for preserving in sugar ; that they, particularly the Grape and 

 Fig, are highly ornamental when seen growing, or brought on 

 the table for decorative uses ; and, finally, that the Fig, as its 

 name would indicate, is fig-shaped, and has been so nicely pre- 

 served as to make quite a good imitation, in both appearance, 

 color and flavor, to the fig of commerce. 



Of no vegetable have we more conflicting testimony on the 

 question of earliness than of the tomato. Let me state a few 

 facts which will explain away some apparent contradictions. 

 First, if the same variety of tomato be planted side by side in 

 the same bed, on the same day, and the plants be transplanted 

 on the same day, one lot on upland and the other on lowland, 

 those on the upland will yield the earlier fruit. Second, if the 

 same conditions be carried out, with the exception that the two 

 lots be planted in the same location, but the soil in one part 

 shall be richer than the other, those growing on the poorer soil 

 will ripen the earliest fruit. Third, if every condition is the 

 same, but a difference in exposure, one lot having a warmer 

 spot, that lot will ripen the earliest fruit. Fourth, if seed of 

 the same varieties be planted with a difference of some weeks 

 between them, it is quite possible that those last planted may 

 ripen earlier fruit, for the first lot may be dwarfed and other- 

 wise injured by cold weather. Fifth, I am inclined to believe 



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