780 



EXPERIMENTAL FARMS 



7 GEORGE V, A. 1917 



Tomatoes — Pruning and Supporting the Plants. 



In order to learn wliether it is advantageous to prune and support tomato plants 

 different methods of pruning and supporting were begun this year and will be con- 

 tinued until some definite conclusion is drawn. We give here the results for three 

 varieties planted in the open on June 4: — 



Variety. 



Distance. 



Ready 



for 

 use. 



Ripe. 



Remarks. 



Earliana Sunnybrook 

 Bonny Best 



Earliana Sunnybrook 



Bonny Best 



Earliana Sunnybrook 

 Bonny Best 



Earliana Sunnybrook 

 Bonnv Best 



4 X 4 ft. 

 4 X 4ft. 



Aug. 30 

 " 25 



lb. 



5-8 



6-4 



not pruned or staked, 

 not pruned or staked. 



4 X 2 ft. 

 4x2 ft. 



Aug. 2.5 

 " 27 



5-8 

 60 



pruned to 1 stem and staked 



with 5 ft. stake. 

 pruned to 1 stem and staked 



with 5 ft. stake. 



4 X 2ft... 

 4 X 2ft.. 



Aug. 23 

 " 24 



8-2 

 70 



supported by 3 wires 12 



inches apart, 

 supported by 3 wires 12 



inches apart. 



4 X 2 ft. 

 4 X 2 ft . 



Aug. 28 

 " 28 



7-4 

 6-7 



half of foliage removed, 

 staked with 5 ft stake. 



half of foliage removed, 

 staked with 5 ft. stake. 



Green Tomatoes — Test of Methods of Ripening. 



Twelve well-developed green tomatoes were harvested and exposed to the sun 

 outside to find how they matured. The skin changed colour by the 10th day; the 

 skin, however, had become wrinlcled and heavy before taking on a good colour. 



The same quantity was picked green as in the first case and suspended in a 

 building where the mean temperature was 61-4° F. These green tomatoes became 

 red by the eleventh day. The skin was not so wrinkled as in the first case. 



Another equal quantity was put in a closed box. In this last case the fruit took 

 on a good red colour on the ninth day. 



A basket of green tomatoes after having been covered with straw was put in a 

 closed box. The colour was good by the eighth day. In each of the four cases an 

 equal number of tomatoes showing traces of red were put under the saine condition 

 and in each case they were ripe two days before the others. 



The flavour of those exposed to the sun was good, though inferior to the fruit 

 ripened on the plant; the pulp was also more fibrous with a very slight bitter taste. 

 In the second case the firmness of the pulp was more pronounced than in the first 

 case, fibrous, and a bitter taste somewhat pronounced. The fruit in the closed box 

 was the least fibrous, the flavour being nearly equal to fruit picked from the plant. 

 Covered with straw in a box the fruit was strongly bitter, the pulp was fibrous and 

 the taste disagreeable. 



TURNIPS FOR TABLE USE. 



Eight varieties of turnips planted for the table gave good yields. 

 Invicta and Skirving are considered the best. 



The varieties 



SQUASH AND VEGETABLE MARROW. 



Of the eight varieties tested the Long Vegetable Marrow is the most noteworthy 

 from the point of view of production and keeping quality. The Wliite Bush has not 

 given as large a yield but is a desirable variety because of the small amount of space 

 it takes up. 



Ste. Anne de la Pocatiere. 



