LENGTH OF TIME REQUIRED TO MATURE GREENHOUSE 

 CROPS OF TOMATOES. 



From a considerable amount of data based upon our own experi- 

 ence and that of others the average time elapsing between sowing 

 tomato seed and first maturity of fruit is about 145 days. About 

 one half of this time is occupied by the plants in flats and pots, the 

 remaining portion of about 75 days represents the period between 

 final transplanting and maturity. These figures are based upon the 

 averages of a number of crops grown during winter and spring. 



Where proper greenhouse facilities are at hand the plants during 

 the first 75 days can occupy less valuable space, and if not planted 

 too close together wdien finally set out some other quick growing crop 

 may be carried along at the same time. 



PRODUCTIVENESS OF TOMATOES. 



Many of the records of fruit production given for crops have been 

 based upon the number of pounds per square foot of bench surface 

 rather than upon the yield per plant. 



L. H. Bailey* found that greenhouse tomatoes yield about two 

 pounds per square foot of ground surface, and A. C. Beal' obtained 

 from 2 to 2)4 pounds per square foot. \\\ J.Green and C. W. Waid" 

 obtained over two pounds per square foot of bench surface and W. 

 Stuart obtained yields of from 3 pounds to 3.4 pounds per square foot 

 S. A. Beach" planted i )4 feet apart in benches and his experiments 

 show a yield of from 11 to 24 ounces per square foot of bench 

 surface. 



A. T. Jordan' reports as an average of two winter and two spring 

 crops 28.5 ounces per square foot. His lowest yield was 19.5 ounces 

 in the winter crop and his largest yield 51.9 ounces for a spring crop. 

 The maximum yield obtained in our experiments where the plants 

 were 2^ feet apart in the rows was 2.4 pounds per square foot of 

 bench surface. Exact comparisons cannot, however, be made of the 

 productiveness of tomatoes under glass in these various experiments, 

 since the number of feet of ground surface which the plants occupied 

 was not the same in all cases, and other modifying conditions entered 



* N. Y. (Cornell Univ.) Buls. Nos. 28 & 32, 1S91. 



1. 111. Agr. Exp. Sta. Bui. No. Si, 1902. 



2. Ohio Agr. Exp. Sta. Bui. No. 153, 1904. 



3. N. Y. (Geneva) Agr. Exp. Sta., Bui. No. 123, 1S9-. 



4. N. J. Agr. Exp. Sta. Bui. No. 141, 1S99. 



i 



