364 FIELD AND GARDEN PRODUCTS 



Is to use a watch glass, l 1 ^ or 1^2 inches in diameter, embedded in 

 putty, at the end of a handle composed of a light material, preferably 

 white pine, which shall be 12 or 18 inches long. Grasp this spatula 

 in the left hand and, with a light pine stick of equal length in the 

 right hand, pass through the house, tapping each open flower lightly 

 with the wand, at the same time holding the watch glass under the 

 flowers to catch the pollen. Before removing the watch glass from 

 this position lift it sufficiently to cause the stigma of the flower to dip 

 into the pollen contained in the glass. By carefully going through 

 the house from day to day during the blooming period nearly 90 

 per cent of the blossoms which develop can be caused to set. During 

 dark, cloudy, stormy weather, however, a smaller percentage of plants 

 will be fertilized than during bright, comparatively dry weather. 

 The conditions in the greenhouse can not be modified so as to entirely 

 overcome the adverse conditions existing on the outside, although 

 with care much can be done in this direction. 



Manuring. It is desirable to keep plants of the tomato which 

 are designed for forcing growing at a moderately rapid rate through- 

 out the whole forcing period. Growth should be strong and robust 

 at all times, yet slow enough to produce close-jointed plants which 

 bear their fruit clusters at near intervals. There is considerable dif- 

 ference in varieties of tomatoes in this respect, and those which 

 naturally bear their fruit clusters close together should be selected 

 for forcing purposes. The manuring of the plants shoulc}, therefore, 

 take a form which will be conducive to this strong, vigorous growth, 

 yet not sufficiently heavy to produce plants which run to wood at 

 the expense of fruit bearing. 



Ventilating and Watering. If careful attention is given to 

 keeping the plants in a healthy condition by never allowing them to 

 suffer from overwatering or from becoming too dry, and if sufficient 

 ventilation is given without allowing draughts of cold air upon the 

 plants, much can be done to prevent the development of mildew. 

 If the plants are to be sprayed it should be done once a week or once 

 in ten days, and then only in the mornings of bright days. Ordi- 

 narily, however, the atmosphere of the house should be kept dry 

 rather than moist, as a very moist atmosphere is liable to produce a 

 soft, succulent growth, which brings on a disease known to gardeners 

 as oedema. This, however, can be prevented by care in keeping the 

 house rather dry. The temperature of the house, too, should not be 

 allowed to fluctuate through too wide a range. The night tempera- 

 ture for tomatoes should range between 65 and 68 F., while the 

 day temperature should run from 70 to 80 F. 



Varieties for Forcing. The comparatively limited use of toma- 

 toes for forcing purposes in this country has not resulted in the devel- 

 opment of many sorts especially suited for this purpose. The Loril- 

 lard is the one American sort which is now almost exclusively con- 

 fined to this use, and it is perhaps more generally cultivated in forc- 

 ing houses than any other single variety. 



The Tomato as a Field Crop for Canneries. Owing to the fact 

 that in canned tomatoes it is difficult for the average consumer to 



