670 



(7) Medinrn or large whole seed "will force the crop several days ahead of small 

 cuttings, but the tubers cut in half crosswise will accomplish the same result. 



(8) Trench culture, with the seed drilled one piece about a foot a^iart in the row, 

 is better than surface or hill culture. 



(9) To grow a profitable crop of potatoes requires a thoroughly prepared, fertile 

 soil. 



(10) Barn-yard manure which will undergo fermentation, should not be used on 

 potato land, unless it is put on the fall before and thoroughly worked into the soil. 



Virginia Station, Bulletin No. 9, February, 1891 (pp. 18). 



Tomatoes, cultural and variety work, W. B. Alwood (pp. 

 3-15, illustrated). — The investig^ations on tomatoes reported in Bul- 

 letin No. 4 of the station (See Experiment Station Eecord, Vol. II, p. 

 77) were continued in 1890. 



A method of transplanting employed at the station is described and 

 illustrated. Plants which have been grown in a hot-bed until they are 

 8 or 10 inches high are placed in a V-shaped trench 10 or 12 inches 

 deep. 



The plants, as taken from the bed, are placed along the smooth, nearly perpendic- 

 ular bank of the trench, placing them about three to the inch, and firmly pressing the 

 roots to the wall of the trench at such point as will hold the tops of the plants about 

 evec with the surface of the ground. After a short strip has been so placed, the 

 trench should be filled up sufficiently to cover about 3 inches of the stem of the plant 

 — cover at least above the cotyledons. 



A V-shaped board covering is used to protect the plants from frost. 

 "The plants can be safely held in a trench, as here shown, for a month 

 or 6 weeks, and will become much more stocky without growing pro- 

 portionately in height, and, what is more important, will come out with 

 a very much enlarged root system." At the season for setting the 

 plants taken from the trenches are placed in open furrows about 5 

 inches deep in the following manner: 



The droppers walk along the rows with a tray in one hand, and place the plants 

 at regular distances, measuring by step, as before mentioned. To place the plant, it 

 should be caught near the top in the right hand, and swung against the straight 

 bank of the furrow with just sufficient force to cause the moist roots to adhere and 

 hold it there. An expert dropper will place the plant at the right height for the 

 coverer so that he need not touch it with his hands. The dropping should be done 

 only as fast as covered, otherwise the plants will wilt and fall into the furrow. This 

 occasions much inconvenience and is a serious injury to the jjlant. Another impor- 

 tant point is to open the furrows only as fast as needed, thus bringing the plants in 

 contact with fresh soil. Covering the plants is a very important matter and only 

 the best hands should be entrusted with this work. It is done with <a hoe, by draw- 

 ing mellow soil up about the plant sufficient to cover the roots, and 4 to 6 inches up 

 the stem, and firming the soil with foot or hoe. In this mauuer we have planted 

 10,000 plants in a dry, hot day without losing enough to estimate. 



Brief descriptive notes are given for a number of varieties grown at 

 the station. 



