CHAPTER XVII 

 TOMATO 



History. Practically no tomatoes were forced in this 

 country for commercial purposes previous to 1890. A 

 grower here and there would have a few dozen or per- 

 haps a few hundred plants, but tomato forcing did not 

 become an industry of real importance until about 1900. 

 Small areas were planted in the greenhouses of many of 

 the agricultural colleges during that decade, and the 

 bulletins and articles published relating to the experi- 

 ments attracted the attention of market gardeners, and 

 no doubt influenced many of them to make small plant- 

 ings under glass, the results of which eventually led to 

 the forcing of the crop on a large commercial scale. 

 Twenty-five or more years ago a few bearing tomato 

 plants were often seen in conservatories of the wealthier 

 classes, but the idea of commercializing the proposition 

 apparently occurred to very few growers before 1890. 



Importance. As stated on a previous page, the tomato 

 is now one of the three most important vegetable-forcing 

 crops. Lettuce ranks first, cucumber second and the 

 tomato third, and the tomato is increasing in importance 

 every year. So far as consumers are concerned, it is a 

 more popular vegetable than the cucumber, and some 

 growers believe that it will ultimately occupy first place 

 in commercial importance. 



It is a more difficult crop to grow under glass than 

 either lettuce or cucumbers. It requires much more heat 

 than lettuce and closer attention than the cucumber. It 

 is regarded by many as a hazardous crop, especially in 

 the fall and winter. Great care is required in order to 

 avoid serious attacks of various diseases. The white fly, 

 unless the houses are properly fumigated with hydro- 



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