VEGETABLES. 213 



eat an apple — and 3-011 might often see your humble servant, while 

 delivering- vegetables during the months of August and September, 

 sitting on his wagon with the lines in one hand and a tomato in the 

 other, probably as much interested in the tomato as he was in driv- 

 ing his team. 



You might ask what all this has to do with tomato culture, to 

 which I will say that it has much to do with it, for it shows the de- 

 mand for the culture, and selling is a very important part. Having 

 found the demand, I must go to producing, and will commence by 

 planting the seed in my little greenhouse about the first of March, 

 and when they become large enough I will transplant them, setting 

 them about three inches apart. In about three weeks they will be 

 crowding each other again, so during some stormy daj^ when it is 

 unpleasant to work outside, I will reset them and put them about 

 six inches apart. I often transplant my tomato plants four or five 

 times before placing them in the field. For setting out, I select a 

 j)iece of ground that slopes to the south or southeast, if possible, 

 and plant in rows about five feet apart and four feet apart in the 

 row, except the Dvvarf Champion, whii;h can ba planted closer to- 

 gether. 



For varieties, I use the Livingston's Perfection and Dwarf Champ- 

 ion as general crop, and Yellow Pear and Yellow Apple as extras. 

 I select my seed from the choicest of the first picking. I will say in 

 conclusion, that for the culture of tomatoes I take a horse and cul- 

 tivator and cultivate them, or have one of m}- hired men do it for 

 me. 



DISCISSION. 



Col. Stevens: Have you ever used the Acme? 



Mr. Sampson: I am glad 3^ou brought that up. The black 

 rot has been so destructive to the Acme that I had to discard 

 it on account of the lack of sufficient fruit. The Living- 

 ston's Perfection I grow from my own seed: they are very near 

 the original, and they are about as fine a tomato for my use as 

 I can find. 



Mr. Fuller: Some years ago I met an old gentleman who 

 told me he had the best tomato in the world. He gave me one. 

 It was of a deep color, round, smooth and meaty, and I agreed 

 with him that it was one of the best tomatoes I ever saw. Last 

 year it was the only tomato out our way that was worth any- 

 thing. I saved the seed until last spring, when I put it in such 

 a safe place that I could not find it. Now, what is the name of 

 that tomato? 



Mr. Beardsley: We call that the Mikado tomato. I bought 

 some of that seed last spring, and it was of no account at all. 



Mr. Fuller: He also gave me some sweet corn that he said 

 was the finest in the world. The ears were not so large, but 

 it was the sweetest corn I ever tasted. 



