VARIETIES OF TOMATOES 271 



not over the seed leaves. They were transplanted to the field in 

 April when about 12 inches tall, having already in some cases had 

 their laterals taken off. The plants were put one foot apart in 

 trenches three feet apart and were set about six inches deep. A 

 light irrigation was given at planting, the ground being cold. A 

 stake about four feet high was placed beside each plant which was 

 tied to it with coarse string. About 10 to 15 days after the first 

 watering, a heavier irrigation was given, as the ground was warmer 

 then. Through the hot weather water was given every three or 

 four days. After the first irrigation, ground was cultivated toward 

 the vines to keep water away from them. As they grew, they were 

 suckered three times in the season, leaving only one leader to grow 

 up beside the stake. Its terminal bud was pinched off at four feet 

 high and the energy of the plants went mostly into producing fine, 

 big, smooth, clean fruit. The stakes and staking more than paid for 

 themselves in increased quantity and quality of crop, as well as 

 labor saved in picking. The tomatoes set in three distinct crops a 

 foot apart on the vines. 



Picking Tomatoes. Tomatoes for shipping should always be 

 picked right. For such purpose the fruit should be picked when 

 slightly blushed, not by squeezing or pulling. Encircle it with all 

 the fingers and twist carefully, leaving the stem on the vine, or rub 

 it off afterward, if it parts from the vine. Do not leave the stem 

 end on the fruit. Pick in shallow boxes, not in deep pails or bas- 

 kets, and use two receivers; one for perfect fruit, the other for 

 culls. Do not handle the fruit roughly, even if it seems very firm. 



Yield. With all conditions favorable, tomatoes make a very 

 large return. Twelve and a half to fifteen tons of marketable to- 

 matoes have been gathered as an average per acre from large tracts, 

 and yields as high as twenty-five tons have been reported. The 

 largest specimen of which the writer has record was grown in Cala- 

 veras county, with the following dimensions : circumference, twenty- 

 two and one-half inches ; diameter at widest place, eight inches ; 

 weight, four and one-half pounds. Mr. Ira W. Adams reports that 

 he grew one year one hundred and thirty-six pounds of ripe toma- 

 toes from one vine, and when the frost came picked thirty-four 

 pounds of green ones. This vine covered a space of nearly eight 

 feet square ; it grew on the edge of a ditch used for running water 

 to blackberry vines. It was an instance of ample irrigation by 

 seepage. 



Varieties. California grows all the many improved tomatoes 

 with which American seedsmen have enriched our vegetable list, 

 and new varieties should always be looked for in California seeds- 

 men's catalogues. They always offer choice yellow varieties for 

 preserving. Varieties which include those commercially most prom- 

 inent, are few and are as follows : 



Sparks Earliana : very early, tall growing; fruit large, smooth, scarlet; 

 flesh deep red, solid. 



