298 



GARDENING. 



June 75, 



GREENHOUSE TOMATOES. 



We have received a couple of ripe Igno- 

 tum tomatoes from Mr. M. Barker of 

 Cornell University with the following 

 note: 



"Sample of Ignotum tomatoes grown 

 under glass by the students in the horti- 

 cultural department. * * Plants four ' 

 feet high, grown to a single stem, in bear- 

 ing since middle of May, each producing 

 from 6 to 10 lbs. of fruit. The plants 

 were grown from cuttings." 



They were nice, plump, well ripened, 

 high colored tomatoes, weighing together 

 17-'4 oz. It is a very easy matter togrow 

 tomatoes under glass and have an abund- 

 ance of ripe ones after March, but more 

 difficult to get them in good condition 

 during the three winter months. Raising 

 early tomatoes in the greenhouse has be- 

 come a satisfactory and remunerative 

 branch of commercial gardening, for no 

 matter what we get up from the south or 

 import from Bermuda or the West Indies, 

 good quality, home produce will always 

 lead in the market. And it is the same 

 with cucumbers, lettuces, radishes, cauli- 

 flower and parsley. 



The Ignotum is a fine tomato and we 

 always grow a lot of it for summer use, 

 but for greenhouse work we prefer Loril- 

 lard or Ladybird because of their firmer 

 skin. Raising plants from cuttings is 

 common practice in the case of those re- 

 quired for fruiting in winter. We regard 

 the plants as being shorter and stockier 

 than those raised from seed, and they set 

 fruit quicker. Restricting to a single 

 stem and three to four bunches of fruit is 

 a common practice in gardens both in- 

 doors and out, the impression being that 

 we get larger and finer fruit in the green- 

 house than from unrestricted plants. 

 When we were connected with the Lon- 

 don market gardens, over twenty years 

 ago. the tomatoes were grown to single 

 stems tied up to stakes set 3 feet apart 

 each way, and to carry three to four 

 bunches of fruit apiece. The only partly 

 unrestricted plants were those we pegged 

 against the south sideof spent mushroom 

 ridges. But the climate compelled this. 



The great trouble with greenhouse 

 tomatoes in winter is leaf disease. If we 

 could only keep the foliage of the plants 

 full and healthy from the ground up till 

 the fruit should begin to color greenhouse 

 tomatoes would be common enough; the 

 setting of the fruit would be onlj' a sec- 

 ondary consideration. By a discrimi- 

 nate, intelligent and persistent use of 

 fungicides we are partly able to cope with 

 the disease. 



We are glad to see that the Cornell 

 students are being taught something 

 practically useful. We look upon them 

 as young men of brains interested in their 

 work and anxious to master it, and from 

 our knowledge of practical horticulture 

 and garden workmen we expect better 

 results from them than from common 

 day laborers, who are the average work- 

 men in other gardens. 



Mi'SK Melons.— In a test of 12 varie- 

 ties I made in 1892 the Emerald Gem led 

 in point of quality, then came the .\cme 

 or Baltimore, Golden Netted Gem, Pine- 

 apple, Jenny Lind, Surprise, Early Hack- 

 ensaek, Hackensack, Bayview and 

 Banana ( variable, some specimens being 

 choice, others poor). The Shumway 

 New Giant and Delmonico were the poor- 

 est. S. L. A. 



Long Island. 



When you write to any of the advertis- 

 ers in this paper please say that you saw 



The Fruit Garden. 



EARLY BLOOMING GRAPES ESCAPE TAB ROSE 

 BUGS. 



I have noticed that some of the earliest 

 ripening grapes on trellis bloom so early 

 that the fruit is formed before the rose 

 bugs arrive, and I have found that these 

 insects do not eat the little grapes, while 

 other varieties not in such haste to blo.s- 

 som are quicklj' despatched. If such is 

 the case in other places wouhl it not be 

 an advantage to beat the bugs by plant- 

 ing such varieties? The Herbert, most 

 forward the last year, first drew my at- 

 tention to the subject and I will note 

 other kinds this summer. For many 

 years we have all available places in our 

 buildings planted with grape vines, and 

 through this protection they commence 

 to bloom earlier than those on a trellis, 

 and are unmolested by the bugs, and the 

 fruit ripens earlier and is generally better. 

 Isaac Hicks. 



Westbury Station, Long Island. 



TAE BURBANK PLUM. 

 This is one of the Japanese family, and 

 like most of its class wonderfully produc- 

 tive. I set out a specimen tree in the 

 spring of 1893, two years old from the 

 bud. The second vear, the summer of 

 1894, it bore a few plums. This, 1895, at 

 this writing. May 3, every part of the 

 little tree it literally loaded with buds, 

 just ready to bloom. The fruit is of good 

 quality, not quite as fine as Imperial 

 Gage and others of that type, but still very 

 good. Bearing in mind that it comes into 

 bearing at least three years sooner than 

 plums of the ordinary type, and that cur- 



culio do not seriously disturb them, it is 

 plain that they have a place in our horti- 

 culture. Satsuma is also a good plum of 

 this family. The Ogon is not desirable by 

 reason of its poor quality. 

 Port Jervis, N. Y. E. G. Fowler. 



Miscellaneous. 



The Ri'SsiAN Violet.— Apropos of our 

 note page 276, F. L. A., writes to us to 

 say that Pitcher & Manda, Short Hills, 

 N. J., have got it. 



Pall Bruantor DaughtrevBeoonia? 

 If our correspondent will get a plant of 

 the true Paul Bruant begonia — it may be 

 had from several of our florists-andgrow 

 it alongside of the other, it will speak for 

 itself. 



Single P/Eonies.— A year or two ago 

 we got a lot of single varieties of pEconies 

 both of ihe tree and herbaceous kinds 

 from Japan. The tree ones are beautiful, 

 but we cannot get into such ecstacy over 

 the herbaceous ones, they are a good deal 

 like what we can raise here from seed 



Pansies. — Pick seeds from the best va- 

 rieties and save them and sow them 

 about the first of August. By letting the 

 seeds drop around the old plants thou- 

 sands nia_v come up after midsimimer and 

 give you all the plants you wish to have, 

 but as they repiesent good and bad bet- 

 ter save seed of the best and raise the 

 best. 



When you write to any of the advertis- 

 ers in this paper please say that you saw 

 the advertisement in Gardenlng. 



FROM NOW UNTIL 



July ist, Not Later. 



There is no more useful garden material than what is known as Dutch 

 Bulbs, Hyacinths, Tulips, Narcissi, Crocus, etc. They give for a small 

 outlay of time and money an abundance of flowers in the house from 

 December until April, and in the garden almost before the snow is olT the 

 ground in the spring until the middle of May. These bulbs are grown 

 almost exclusively in Holland, and in enormous quantities, where they are 

 sold at very low prices. Usually they pass through the hands of two dealers, 

 and more than double in price before reaching the retail buyer in America. 



By ordering from me now instead of waiing until fall, you save from 25 to 50 

 per cent, in cost, get a superior quality of bulbs not usually to be obtained 

 at any prxe in this country, and have a much larger list of varieties to 

 select from. My orders are selected and packed in Holland, and are deliv- 

 ered to my customers in the original packages immediately upon their 

 arrival from Holland, perfectly fresh and in the best possible condition. 



If you wish to take advantage of my very low prices, 1 must have your order 

 not later than July ist, as 1 import Bulbs to order only. They need 

 not be paid for until after delivery, or taken, if not of a satisfactory quality. 



My price-list is now ready, and may be had for the asking. 



A FBW OF THE PR.CB3:, ,.^ „, J- WILKINSON ELLIOTT, 



Kine Mixed uyiiciDUm..»2.sii jii'Vii Landscape Architect, 



Tulips M IS. ■ 



■ (rocua .■;... :« I ii Horticultural Buyers' Ajcent, 



,1 Vi .^fc^^ PITTSBURGH, PA. 



