368 



Donlle fioicers and irregular fruit. — Observations on all the plants on 

 a large plat at the time of blooming indicated that doubling of flowers 

 is largely a varietal tendency, " some kinds having nearly all the first 

 blossoms double, while on others none could be found. In Mikado, 

 Morning Star, and a canner's variety from Salem County, New Jersey, 

 the habit was most marked. In those varieties in which most of the 

 first blossoms are double the first fruit of the succeeding cluster was 

 double also ; and those varieties which are most given to the produc- 

 tion of such blossoms bear the greatest number of irregular fruits, as a 

 rule. But the first blossom is by no means an index of the character 

 of that plant, and this is true whether the variety is one in which the 

 habit is marked, or one which simply chances to give an occasional 

 double flower." 



Ifotes on yields. — Observations made by the author on plantations of 

 tomatoes in New York, Maryland, and Delaware are cited to show the 

 importance of starting the plants early and forcing them rapidly in the 

 North. 



Impressions of varieties. — Only 40 varieties were grown at the sta- 

 tion this season, including all the new kinds offered by the trade and 

 local varieties sent in for trial. "We are still confirmed in our belief 

 that varieties of tomatoes are unstable and that they soon run out. The 

 strongest proof of this fact, perhaps, is the difiiculty of maintaining any 

 variety true to its type under good culture and careful selection." Ex- 

 perience with the Trophy is cited to illustrate this tendency. "It is a 

 common but erroneous notion that 'ruuuiug out' necessarily means de- 

 terioration." Brief descriptive notes are given for 26 varieties. 



Smnmanj. — (1) The tomato plant is quickly susceptible to careful selection. 



(2) As elsewhere in the vegetable kingdom, the character of the plant, as a whole, 

 appears to have more hereditary influence than the character of the individual 

 fruit. 



(3) Very heavy manuring does not lessen prodnctiveness. 



(4) Neither nitrate of soda nor muriate of potash alone are profitable tomato ma- 

 nures upon thin soil. 



(5) Very early setting of stocky plants in the field, even in dark and raw weather, 

 augmented earliness and productiveness this season. 



(6) Seedlings gave far better results than cuttings. 



(7) Trimming the plants lightly late in the summer gave a greatly increased yield. 



(8) A double or monstrous flower upon a young plant is no indication that succeed- 

 ing flowers upon the same plant will be double, and produce irregxilar fruits. But 

 varieties which habitually bear double flowers are also the ones which habitually bear 

 irregular fruits. 



(9) Cool and dark weather in early fall, and early fall frosts are the leading draw- 

 backs to profitable tomato culture in the North. To avoid these dangers as much as 

 possible, i^lants must be started early and forced rapidly. 



(10) The essential general points in profitable tomato culture are these : careful 

 selection and breeding; early sowing; frequent, or, at least, occasional transplant- 

 ing to obtain stocky plants; rich soil, well prepared and well tilled. 



(11) There is evidence that varieties of tomatoes run out, even under good cultuie» 



