VEGETABLE GROWING. 119 



winter use the Marrow has no equal, while the Hubbard is the 

 standard hard shelled winter sort. The American Turban is also 

 quite popular. But the Essex Hybrid is just as good in every 

 particular, and has the advantage of being hard shelled, like the 

 Hubbard, and consequently keeeping better than the Turban. 



Tomatoes. — This is a crop which is now very extensively 

 grown. With the great increase in its consumption which has 

 occurred within the past few years, there has been a correspond- 

 ing improvement in varieties ; not so much in respect to earliness, 

 perhaps, as in size and quality. Certainl}' there can be no gar- 

 den product much more perfect and handsome than the well 

 ripened fruit of some of our leading varieties. 



The tomato is in most respects of easy culture, although it re- 

 quires some care, and a good deal of labor and expense, to get the 

 plants properly started in the spring. 



For the early crop the seed should be sown in a hot-house or 

 hot-bed about the middle of February, and after reaching sufficient 

 size the seedlings should be transplanted to four inches apart ; in 

 in order to induce a stocky growth. The second transplanting 

 should be made before the plants commence to crowd and grow 

 spindling, and this time they should be set eight inches apart. 

 This last transplanting before their final removal to the open 

 ground is always made in hot-beds ; but where the seed is started 

 in a hot-house the first transplanting is usually made in the house, 

 and the plants are allowed to remain until removed to the hot-bed. 

 At the second transplanting, about the twenty-fifth of May, the 

 plants ma}' generally be set in the open ground, and should be 

 planted in rows six feet apart, with plants five feet apart in the row. 



Tomatoes are usually planted to follow a crop of spinach, and 

 but little more manure is applied except in the hill, for which two 

 cords will be sufficient, and will ]Hish the crop along wonderfully. 

 Five or six cords per acre is usually put on where the crop does 

 not follow spinach. Clean culture should of course be given. 



In this vicinity the first picking is often made by the middle of 

 July, and at that early date usuall}' brings a good price, some- 

 limes as high at ten dollars per bushel ; but the price soon falls, 

 and often gets down below a paying rate. The price varies great- 

 1}', but on an average the proceeds of an acre would amount to 

 about six hundred dollars. 



The varieties are numerous, but there are few of real superi- 



