1883.] 



AND HORTICULTURIST. 



205 



Fruit and Vegetable Gardening, 



COMMUNICATIONS. 



TOMATOES. 



BY MR. CHARLES E. PARNELL. 



I quite agree with Mr. Hicks (page 82) in his 

 remarks as to the value of the Acme tomato, and 

 do not think that I shall cultivate it another sea- 

 son. I have from time to time cultivated most if 

 not all the principal varieties of tomatoes, and no 

 variety has proved to be so subject to the rot as 

 the Acme. I have also found the fruit very soft 

 and watery when fully ripe. On this account I do 

 not think that it could be carried safely to any dis- 

 tance. Its peculiar color, pinkish red, is decidedly 

 objected to by many persons. 



But I do nat agree with Mr. H. as to the value 

 of the Tilden and Trophy ; at least for the garden. 

 The Trophy proves to be very rough and irregular 

 in shape, and ripens very unequally. The same 

 can be said of the Tilden. In the summer and 

 fall of 1 88 1 the Trophy rotted as badly as the 

 Acme, and in this connection it may be of interest 

 to say that I never noticed the rot among my toma- 

 toes until I cultivated the Acme. 



But is Mr. H. certain that his plants of the Til- 

 den were correct and true to name ? A year or so 

 ago I was desirous of obtaining a few plants of 

 this variety, but could not succeed. I obtained 

 seeds that were claimed to be Tilden, but when 

 the fruit ripened it was plain to all that there was 

 not a Tilden tomato among them. The majority 

 of them were the Trophy, the rest, I know not 

 what. 



But I have never had as favorable an opinion of 

 the Trophy tomato as some have. I always con- 

 sidered it too rough and coarse a variety for gar- 

 den cultivation. For market purposes it will no 

 doubt answer very well, as size, not quality is 

 wanting there. But in the garden we require 

 something very different ; solidity, smoothness, 

 productiveness and good quality is there wanted. 

 The desirable quality of ripening equally on all 

 sides, and close up to the stem, is also most essen- 

 tial. 



Although I do not consider perfection reached 

 as yet, still I think there is nothing more to be 

 gained as far as earliness is concerned, I think 



we have attained to that desired point, and would 

 suggest to those who are striving to improve this 

 desirable esculent to give more attention to shape, 

 smoothness, uniformity of size and solidity. 



After a trial of many varieties, I know of none 

 better than Hathaway's Excelsior for the main 

 and later crops. Unfortunately it is several days 

 later than the Conqueror and Canada Victor, so 

 that we cannot dispense with the latter varieties as 

 yet. It may be well to say that I gave the May- 

 flower a trial last season, and was very much 

 pleased with it. I consider it one of our most 

 promising varieties ; but another season's trial is 

 necessary to determine its full value. I intended 

 to have given more fully my experience with the 

 different varieties of tomatoes, for which purpose 

 last season I made copious notes. But I fear you 

 could not well spare the necessary space. 



ODOROUS HEDGES FOR FRUIT GAhDENS. 



BY WM. T. HARDING, MOUNT HOLLY, N. J. 



And now comes Pyrus coronaria, better known 

 as the sweet-scented crab, as a candidate for hedge 

 favors. With every confidence in its sterling 

 hedge-worthiness, I cheerfully recommend it, feel- 

 ing satisfied it possesses all the requisite quahties 

 the enterprising planter looks for. 



With these modest encomiums, I thus hopefully 

 present my odorous protege to the appreciative 

 pubhc. Though decidedly firm and unswerving 

 in its ligneous standing, its hedging disposition, not- 

 withstanding, is most excellent. And while sturdily 

 maintaining its bushy character, will yield to no 

 previous fruticose competitor, who may claim su- 

 periority in its line of usefulness. By habit, 

 sturdy, by nature, healthy, it has a strong tendency 

 to become very crabbed if maltreated. This den- 

 izen of the forest will successfully resist the insid- 

 ious attacks of every kind of depredator, from bug 

 to bovine. Neither will it give way to the juvenile 

 transgressor or adult rascal who would unjustly 

 tread upon its rights, as a steadfast protector of the 

 alluring strawberry bed, tempting orchard, or se- 

 ductive melon patch. Wherever it is placed, there 

 will it remain as rigidly unflinching as did Napo- 

 leon's Old Guard at Waterloo, and like them, may 

 die, but will not surrender to mortal marauder, 



