16 agricultural 



Tomato Eeport. 



Fifteen new varieties of tomatoes were grown at the station 

 during the past year, besides our main crop varieties, and 

 others yet under test. My' assistant, Mr. C. W. Waid, who has 

 made a close study of them, has written the following report. 

 For earlier reports on the tomato, consult Bulletins IN'os. 42 and 

 73 of this station. 



The station grew twenty-nine varieties of tomatoes this year 

 (1900) for variety test, besides the main crop. There was in 

 all about one acre set to tomatoes. The first seed sown was 

 put in a tray, March 20, variety. Early Bird, for main crop. 

 March 28 another tray was sown for general crop, variety, Bel- 

 mont. The varieties were all sown in trays March 28. The 

 first sowing was transplanted March 31, and the second April 

 12. 



The tomatoes for general crop were transplanted into trays, 

 about two inches apart each way. The variety tomatoes were 

 transplanted into thumb pots. 



In the second transplanting the general crop tomatoe's were 

 transplanted into small boxes, twelve in each box, so arranged 

 that the bottom could be easilv removed and the dirt allowed 

 to slip out. This made it easy for the plants to be separated 

 with a ball of dirt around each root. The Early Bird were 

 transplanted into these boxes April 17; the Belmont, April 30. 



The second transplanting of variety tomatoes was into four- 

 inch pots and was done April 30. 



This year the pot sj^stem was a decided advantage over the 

 box system. In the first place the plants had more room for 

 both root and stalk development, and consequently grew more 

 stocky and better proportioned. In trays there is danger of 

 keeping the soil too moist and thus getting a taller and more 

 tender growth. 



The ease and efficiency with which tomatoes can be trans- 

 planted into the open ground from pots is no small item. The 

 dirt can be removed without disturbing the roots in the least, 

 and thus the plant is not checked in its growth. The per cent 

 of loss from transplanting is very much less when pots are used. 



