54 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY 



be four inches in diameter and borne on a stem as thick as a lead pencil, 

 which should hold the Uower perfecth' erect. While the carnation has 

 not yet reached these dimensions in general cultivation, yet some speci- 

 mens have been grown which have reached this size. The range in color 

 of carnations is greater than in almost any other flower, ranging all 

 through the various shades from the most delicate pink to the deepest 

 crimson; also in pure white, j'ellow, and purple. Besides the self-colors, 

 carnations are often most beautifully variegated with delicate penciling 

 and shading. 



The carnation has rapidly grown in public favor, a close rival of the 

 rose, and often preferred to that popular flower for its wonderful keeping 

 qualities. Carnations require a cool, moist atmosphere, therefore seldom 

 succeed as house plants, though many kinds do nicely for garden 

 planting. 



Tomatoes, which were grown a few years ago only as an ornament, 

 and called "love apples," have now become one of the chief vegetables of 

 commerce. The list of varieties is very great, and the old kinds are con- 

 stantly giving way to the new varieties. The leading varieties of a few 

 years ago, such as Trophy, Feejee, and Canada Victor, are now seldom 

 grown, though some seedsmen still catalogue them, and they are no 

 doubt grown in private gardens to some extent. Perhaps the most gen- 

 erally cultivated varieties at the present time are Early Ruby or Atlantic 

 Prize, Acme, Dwarf Champion, Early Michigan, New Fortune, Stone, 

 Ignotum, etc., though there are other kinds that are favorites in certain 

 localities. The method of planting and growing is very simple, as the 

 tomato is one of the easiest of all vegetables to grow. For early market, 

 the seed should be planted about the last of March, in a bench in the 

 greenhouse, in hot-beds or in boxes where they can be kept warm and 

 protected from the cold, changeable weather, for if there is anything 

 that will injure tomato plants quickly it is cold weather or frost. The 

 plants should be set in the field as soon as all danger from frost is over. 

 They should be planted three to five feet apart, according to the richness 

 of the soil, the richer the soil the further apart. In field culture, culti- 

 vation should be kept going both ways and the plants free from weeds. 



This completes the method of growing, and all that remains to be done 

 is to gather the tomatoes, and if possible sell them so as to get some 

 money out of them. This latter is perhaps the hardest of all to do. 



