1868.] THE TOMATO. 137 



Currant bushes is easily got rid of ; these always attack the ends of the shoots, and 

 their presence is soon indicated by the curling of the leaves ; the bushes should then 

 be carefully gone over, and the ends of all the infected shoots should be pinched 

 off. This should be attended to in proper time, for if it be delayed, the fruit will 

 soon get all covered with honey-dew, which spoils its appearance. Vines in 

 greenhouses should have as much artificial heat as it is possible to give them, 

 consistently with the well-being of the regular occupants of these houses, 

 abundance of air being given daily. Bad borders, want of artificial heat, and 

 want of air, are at the top and bottom of all bad Grape-growing. 



Stourton. M. Saul. 



THE TOMATO. 



'HE immense importance of this vegetable in the domestic economy of the 

 middle-class is beginning to be felt. We see in [Manchester a regular 

 supply in the market, and good prices are paid. An American clergyman 

 told me that in his parish there was a greater weight of Tomatos brought 

 to market than of any other vegetable, and he could hardly relish our dry 

 dinners, when Tomato sauce was wanting. He reckoned the Tomato among 

 sauces, to be like the jelly of the stock-pot among soups, taking all forms and 

 flavours according to the ingredients with which it is seasoned. Fortunately, 

 this luxury — the Tomato — is quite within reach of thousands of Florist 

 readers, as it may certainly be home-grown without the aid of glass or even 

 of walls. And as to the question of cooking Tomatos, we may safely leave 

 that to the general spread of education, which, like the railroads, will, no doubt, 

 eventually level up, or level down, any little prejudice that there may be against 

 them. 



The Tomato plant, or Love Apple, when not in fruit, is particularly uninvit- 

 ing in appearance. Like the potato, it belongs to the Solanacecv : indeed, the 

 stem and foliage have very much the appearance of those of a tall-growing late 

 potato, rising like that to the height of about three feet ; but beyond this, its 

 resemblance to the potato ceases, and, indeed, it has very little in common with 

 the Frenchman's "apple of the earth," for in the case of the Tomato, the apple, 

 or fruit, is the only part that is eaten, whereas in the potato the apple, or fruit, 

 must not be eaten. The Tomato is simply a tender annual of the easiest culture, 

 growing freely from seeds, which are to be had cheaply enough at any seed shop ; 

 but it frequently happens that the plants ready grown may be purchased like 

 celery plants, in the market, in large towns, and thereby a good deal of trouble in 

 rearing them may be saved. If the seeds are sown in thumb pots in a warm 

 place in April or the beginning of May, they will be fit for their final transplant- 

 ing about the first week in June. 



The Tomato is a plant of rough, coarse growth, and would get sadly out of 

 bounds if it were not confined and stunted; but as it "bears wrongs patiently," 



