144 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Forcing. — The winter forcing of tomatoes is one of the most 

 interesting and satisfactory operations of the gardener, and many 

 have found it a profitable enterprise. The crop is one which 

 demands care and intelligent management, but such conditions 

 are well repaid by a ready demand for the products at high 

 prices. 



The most important conditions are: a warm, light, house — one 

 having a two-thirds span facing the south being preferable, — 

 strong bottom heat, rich soil, careful training, uniform tempera- 

 ture, care in watering and in pollinating ; and above all, good 

 judgment and constant watchfulness on the part of the grower. 



Our practice may be briefly outlined : We always plan for two 

 crops each season and as, in our northern latitudes, from four to 

 five months are required for the tomatoes to reach maturity, we 

 arrange that a large part of the growth of each crop shall occur 

 without special expense for heating. The first crop is started 

 about the first to the middle of July, and, if put on the fruiting 

 benches in September, the crop will be in its prime in season for 

 the holidays. The second crop is started in October, and is thus 

 ready to take the place of the first lot, when their fruit is off in 

 February. 



When on the fruiting benches, we usually grow the plants in 

 boxes eighteen inches square and a foot deep, four plants being 

 placed in each box. Each plant is trained to a single stem, and 

 thus occupies about one and one-half square feet of floor space. 

 In training, strong flax cord, the size of wool twine or a little 

 smaller, is used. A single strand extends from the base of each 

 plant to the roof, and the plant is secured to the cord by bands of 

 raflia. 



Some commercial growers consider it necessary to attend to the 

 pollination of each individual flower. Tomato flowers are highly 

 self-fertile, however, and the only attention we have found 

 necessary is, on bright days when the atmosphere is relatively 

 dry, to give each plant two or three sharp taps with a padded 

 stick. 



From an extended study of the subject, I am convinced that 

 failure to secure satisfactory results in forcing tomatoes is very 

 commonly due to an insulHcient supply of pollen. We know that 

 when only a small amount of pollen is supplied to the stigma an 

 undersized or irregular fruit invariably results ; while, as already 



