the best method of pruning as it is based on a law governing corre- 

 lated growth, namely, that the mutilation of primary organs causes 

 the greatest response in secondary organs, and, conversely, the 

 mutilation of secondary organs causes the greatest response in 

 primary organs. 



It is well worth while here to consider the results obtained by 

 other experimentors along this line. Among others who have made 

 experiments in pruning tomatoes may be mentioned the following : 

 A. C. Beal* obtained better results with the single stem system than 

 with the three stem system. He reports the yield as being 1 1- pounds 

 for the former and 4 pounds for the latter per square foot of bench 

 surface. The leaders were also headed in or pinched back in his 

 plants when the}' had reached a height of eight feet. 



R. L. Watts' tested the one, two and three stem system. He 

 obtained a general gain in time of ripening of the whole crop on the 

 one stem plants; but little or no difference between the two and three 

 stem plants. Most of the fruit on the pruned plants ripened earlier 

 than on the unpruned. There was a regular increase in the number 

 of fruit in the one stem to the normal or unpruned, but the largest 

 individual tomatoes were formed on the one and two stem plants. 

 He reports the weight of unsound fruit as greatest on the unpruned 

 plants. 



A. T. Jordan'-' compared the single and three stem system of prun- 

 ing and found that the single stem was superior to the three stem 

 system. He found the average yield of the single stem plants to be 

 less: the average yield per square foot of bench surface, however, 

 was greater on the single stem system. The plants were pinched or 

 cut back when they reached the glass or when about six feet high. 



W. J. Green and C. W. Waid'' practiced cutting out all axillary 

 shoots or suckers. They found the single and double stem system 

 the best. The single stem system of pruning, moreover, gave the 

 highest yield per square foot of ground surface. They recommend 

 pruning to the single stem with the plants grown one foot apart in the 

 rows. " Plants set i J4 feet apart pruned to two stems were the second 

 in yield and the average size was not affected. Those planted two feet 



* 111. .\gr. Exp. Sta., Bui. No. 8i. 1902. 



1. Tenn. Agr. Exp. Sta., 5th .^nn. Rpt.. 1S92 



2. X.J. Agr. Exp. Sta., Bill. No. 141, 1899. 



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



