XXX.] THE EFFORT AT EARLINESS. 489 



spreading plants of Cherry will cover as much ground 

 as the stocky plants of Mikado or Ignotum, which 

 weigh a half more. 



With the augmentation in size of the tomato, there 

 has been a loss in earliness. All my observation seems 

 to indicate that if great gain is to be made in earli- 

 ness, it must be in varieties which are closely allied 

 to the Cherry type. It is probable, however, that 

 it will be found to be more profitable, in the future, 

 to obtain early tomatoes by means of forceful cultiva- 

 tion than by attempting to breed varieties of excep- 

 tionally early maturity. 



