THE VEGETABLE PATCH. 



•57 



pruned, all laterals being taken out and the 

 six main branches only left. The other 

 plants were left to grow at will, and it was 

 found that they produced the most ripe 

 fruit, though not the largest early crop. 



This system of pruning is very promis- 

 ing. The further advanced the axillary 

 shoots are when the plants are set out the 

 larger the early crop is likely to be. In the 

 experiment the plants were not started 

 early enough to get the best results. When 

 the first fruit was ripe on the un- 

 pruned Sparks' Earliana, July 29, there was 

 very little ripe on that date. The experi- 

 ment was suggested by Mr. J. S. Littooy, 

 Everett, Washington Territory, who has 

 been pruning tomatoes in this way for some 

 time in Washington with gratifying results, 

 where they have difficulty in ripening to- 

 matoes. 



Two varieties were under test, the Sparks' 

 Earliana, one of the best, if not the best, 

 early variety, and the Matchless, a main 

 crop sort. I would advise all market gar- 

 deners to give this system a trial this year. 



1 



Better to Mix the Fertilizers 



W. C. m'CALLA, ST. CATHARINES, ONT. 



GREW six acres of tomatoes last year, 

 but the season was so unfavorable I 

 was not able to see definite results from the 

 different fertilizers tried. It rained so 

 much at planting time that it took a week 

 to get all the plants out, and a week's start 

 gives a very considerable advantage. In 

 a large field the soil is not uniform, and in a 



wet season particularly, it is not fair to com- 

 pare the lower ground with higher. I am 

 still satisfied, however, that for tomatoes, 

 and for some other crops, it pays to use 

 chemical fertilizers, and I should not like 

 to be without a few sacks each season, even 

 if I could get all the stable manure I 

 wanted. 



This fertilizer question is an important 

 one. There is still prejudice against com- 

 mercial fertilizers, largely, I believe, because 

 of lack of knowledge. I have no record of 

 definite, detailed results from the use of 

 commercial fertilizers, although I have used 

 them on a number of crops each year, and 

 after watching their effect have gradually 

 increased my purchases each season. I 

 have no great knowledge of farm chemistry, 

 but have read and studied the subject as I 

 found time, and have attained some measure 

 of success in the use of fertilizing chemi- 

 cals. As a result I have about given up 

 using ready-mixed fertilizers, finding it 

 cheaper and better to buy the ingredients 

 separately and to mix them as the land and 

 crops seem to require. 



Vegetable Notes 



Too much nitrogen in the soil, or rather 

 not enough phosphoric acid and potash for 

 the amount of nitrogen will cause the first 

 fruits of cucumbers or tomatoes to drop. — 

 (W. W. Hilborn, Leamington, Ont. 



The soil for growing celery can hardly be 

 made too rich. Celery is a great consumer 

 of nitrogen. Potash must be abundantly 

 supplied to give strength for bleaching and 

 keeping. It is one of the great secrets of 

 success with this crop. 



Maine is the champion potato state, with 

 a yield of 200 bushels to the acre. New 

 Hampshire is next with 145 bushels. New 

 York is the lowest with 86 bushels. Iowa 

 is the champion of the western states with 

 118 bushels. It is also the champion corn 

 state. 



