HORTICULTURE. 



1051 



of water in the pan. At first the pan was provided with two overflows 

 \\ in. above the bottom. Later water gauges were put in, so that the 

 height of the water in the pan could be seen at any time. The method 

 was found to be a very efficient means of distributing the water evenly. 

 The expense of fitting a bench with this system of subwatering was 13 

 cts. per square foot. The author believes this additional outlay is 

 more than counterbalanced by the increased yield, the lessened labor 

 in attendance, and the greater durability of the bench. 



Forcing tomatoes — comparison of methods of training and 

 benching, S. A. Beach (New York Staff Sta. Bui. 125, pp. 275-304, 

 figs. 3, pis. 6). — The bulletin reports tests of different methods of 

 benching and training tomatoes in forcing houses. Two tests were 

 made in the winter of 1895-'i)(> and three in the winter of 189G- : 97. 

 In all the tests Lorillard tomatoes were used. All plants in each 

 test were grown from the same lot of seed and were selected to 

 give specimens as uniform as possible. Soils and fertilizers were uni- 

 form for all plants in each test, and other conditions, except the ones 

 to be compared, were as nearly alike as possible. The seeds were 

 germinated in flats and the seedlings transplanted into small pots, 

 2.j-in. pots in the first two tests and 2-in. pots in the third test. When 

 set in the benches a part of the plants were removed from the pots and 

 part were left in them, the soil being mounded up above the pots to the 

 seed leaves of the plant. Part of the plants in pots and part of those 

 not in pots were trained to single stems, and part of each were trained 

 to three stems. Each single stem plant was allowed only half as much 

 bench room as each three-stem plant, the areas m the different tests 

 being 2|, 2|, and 2f sq. ft. for the former and 4J, 4f, and 5| sq. ft. for 

 the latter. 



A summary of the data secured in these tests is given in the follow- 

 ing table : 



Results of experiments with tomatoes. 



Method of growing plants. 



First teat. 



In pots: 



Single-stem training 



Three-stem training 



Not in pots: 



Single-stem training 



Three-stem training 



Second test. 



In pots: 



Single-stem training 



Three-stem training 



Not in puts : 



Single-stem training 



Three-stem training 



Num- 

 ber of 

 plants. 



Third tent. 



In pots : 



Single-stem training 



Three-stem training 



Not in pots: 



Single-stem training 



Three-stem training 



Average 

 time from 

 seed plant 

 ing to tirst 

 ripe fruit. 



Days. 

 160. 15 

 159. 17 



157.90 

 160.15 



102. 57 

 116. 00 



Average 



number "f 



fruits per 



plant. 



99.78 

 97.00 



173. 78 

 168. 89 



172. 45 

 171.30 



15.97 

 24. 94 



13.60 

 25.35 



18.43 



27.83 



16.56 



27.86 



23.17 

 37.11 



25.15 

 44.40 



A verage 



weight of 



individual 



fruits. 



Ounces. 

 1.76 

 2.04 



2.00 

 1.93 



2.66 



2.72 



2.82 

 2.79 



2.84 

 2.45 



2.77 

 2.49 



Yield per 



square foot 



of benih. 



Ounces. 

 13.21 

 11.74 



12. 79 

 11.52 



20. 37 

 15. 96 



19.68 

 16.37 



23.20 

 16.04 



24.56 

 19.53 



