142 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY, 



The Ideal Tomato. — Naturally the per cent of solid tissue in 

 any fruit is in direct proportion to the number of cells, and in 

 producing a new tomato, we must bear in mind a given ideal. 

 The ideal tomato must be of medium size, firm texture, rich 

 color, perfectly smooth, and must be early and prolific. Such a 

 variety we have not at the present time. 



My own taste would call for a fruit which is solid and "meaty"^ 

 — one which contains thick cell walls, but relatively few seeds. 

 Such a fruit was secured in the best strains of Ignotum, while 

 that variety was in its prime. The Stone also is of this type, but 

 neither is satisfactory in New England. The type represented by 

 Yellow Victor, which has a hard, almost woody, core, is of course 

 objectionable. On the other hand, some tastes demand a fruit 

 with a large per cent of " pulp, " a character found in those sorts 

 with relatively few cells. For such tastes Chemiu Market is 

 excellent. But while it is one of the most prolific sorts we have 

 grown under glass, this variety is so late as to be discarded for 

 field culture. 



Solidity, however, is largely an individual rather than a 

 varietal character. As already noted, the solidity of a fruit 

 depends on the relative number of cells or seed cavities. It 

 should be added that a further controlling factor, is the number 

 of seeds present. Now we know that the amount of pollen 

 available has an important bearing on the seed production of 

 most fruits. In other words, within certain limits, the amount of 

 pollen received by a given fiower, by determining the number of 

 seeds produced, may to a large extent control the size, form, and 

 relative solidity of the resulting fruit. Every grower is familiar 

 with the small unmarketable fruits so common in the house during 

 winter. A careful study of these fruits will reveal the fact, that 

 most of them are nearly if not quite seedless. 



Cultural Notes. — It is unnecessary at this time to go into the 

 details of the culture of tomatoes. It may be well, however, to 

 call attention to some of the more salient points which have 

 received our attention during a somewhat extended study of this 

 plant, — leaving any points of general interest to be brought out 

 in discussion. 



Our practice previous to setting plants in the field, is to sow the 

 seed in flats about April 1, and, as soon as the plants begin to 

 crowd, to remove them to three-inch and later to four-inch pots. 



