VEGETABLES. 355 



are not well fertilized, they will drop off. It is the first ones 

 that we are after. A half dozen the first of July are worth 

 a bushel the last of July. Therefore, we have taken pains to 

 improve the Champion. I prize the bees very much on account 

 of their fertilizing the blossoms. 



Dr. Frisselle: I have noticed that the first cluster is very 

 liable to decay on my vines. I am not able to ripen the first 

 ones that set; they decay; they are knotty, and often 

 crack and split. Have you any such trouble, Mr. Allyn? 



Mr. Allyn : No, we have not had. If they are well fertilized, 

 they will mature well. In gathering our seed, we take care 

 that the very finest cluster of the first picking is always saved. 



Mr. Harris: We sold about 5,000 bushels of tomatoes this 

 year, I think. In past years we have put out a good many of the 

 Champions. In the La Crosse market, we cannot do much with 

 the Champion, as the people will not buy them. They are not 

 quite large enough. They are just as handsome as the Beauty. 



Mr. Allyn: Do you refer to Livingston's Beauty? 



Mr. Harris : Yes, we have saved our seed and think we have 

 improved on them. We get perfectly smooth, large tomatoes 

 from them. Now, you cannot get more than half as many of 

 the Champion as you can of the Beauty or Favorite, unless 

 your ground is very fertile. 



Dr. Frisselle: What is the remedy for the rot? 



Mr. Harris: I don't know of any perfect remedy. Some 

 varieties rot worse than others. I have tried copperas water 

 and also hypo-sulphite of sulphur. I think that helped them. 



Mr. Allyn: Did you ever hav^e any rot on the Champion? 



Mr. Harris: We had three good pickings from our other 

 varieties before we got one from the Champion. 



Mr. Allyn: Did you give the Champion the same chance as 

 the others? 



Mr. Harris: Yes. We raised them in hot beds and trans- 

 planted once or twice in the open ground. We can get just as 

 early a tomato from other varieties, sowing the seed the same 

 day. 



Mr. Sampson: I am very much interested in this discussion 

 on tomatoes. The tomato is one of the most profitable and 

 healthful fruits we produce. I calculate I sell about one hun- 

 dred dollars' worth annually. I grow the Livingstone's Perfect 

 Tomato; it has kept up with any of my competitors in early 

 bearing and good quality. I tried the Acme, but was obliged 

 to give it up on account of rot. 



