222 TRUCK-FARMING AT THE SOUTH. 



seeds ; it must be firm, must ripen evenly and have a 

 bright red color. The " Acme," " Livingston's Beauty" 

 and "Perfection," the " Bound Smooth Red," and the 

 " Hathaway " fill these requirements ; the first-named 

 is at present preferred. The "Trophy" and "Fejee 

 Island " are both of excellent quality and appearance, but 

 the first is objectionable on account of its too great size 

 (not satisfactorily measurable by the quart), and the lat- 

 ter on account of its shape. The "Pear-shaped" and 

 the "Yellow" and "Ked Cherry" are only used for 

 pickles and preserves. 



SELECTION OF SOIL. 



The tomato will better resist drouth than it will too 

 much rain, and indeed better than most vegetables; the 

 soil, therefore, best adapted to this crop is a sandy 

 one, or a high sandy loam. On low ground, well 

 drained or not, in dry or wet seasons, the plants 

 are liable to die out about the commencement of 

 bearing. The fruit will even rot on high sandy 

 soil, when the plants are manured with muck that has 

 been exposed to the atmosphere for eight months. The 

 tomato is not a gross feeder; it prefers a poor soil to one 

 that is too fertile, nor will the plant bear any considerable 

 application of stimulating fertilizers, such as Peruvian 

 guano, hoof -trimmings, fish scrap, etc., which will 

 certainly cause it to run to vine, and to make the fruit, 

 particularly the first, decay before attaining full size. 

 Those which do mature will be watery and not carry well. 

 A good crop can be made with one shovelful of well -rotted 

 stable or cow manure, or good compost, to the hill, or 

 upon a soil which has recently produced a well manured 

 crop. In the last case no manuring would be needed. 



SOWING THE SEED. 



Slow growth being requisite to produce good stocky 

 plants, the seed should be sown about January 1st on un' 



