POLLINATION OF TOMATOES. 163 



shown in Fig. 53 (page 162). This is made by glueing a 

 small watch-glass to the end of a wooden ladle. There is 

 a time in the life of the flower when the pollen falls out 

 readily if the atmosphere is dry enough to hold dust. 

 This is when the flower is fully expanded and somewhat 

 past its prime. The flower is tapped lightly with a lead 

 pencil and the light yellow powder falls out freely. The 

 house must be dry and warm at the time. C. J. Pen- 

 nock, Kennett Square, Penn., a grower of winter to- 

 matoes for market, writes me as follows concerning the 

 pollination of the flowers: "During the short days of 

 winter I pollinate carefully every day, and I consider the 

 operation necessary. I use a tool of my own make. It 

 is a light piece of wood about 16 in. long and one-half 

 in. square, one end of which has a slight saucer-like de- 

 pression. This stick is held in the left hand with the de- 

 pression under the blossom to be pollinated. Another 

 light stick or reed is used to tap the blossom and shake 

 out the pollen, the end of the pistil being pressed into 

 the accumulated pollen in the depression at the same 

 time. On a sunny day, when the house is dry, the opera- 

 tion can be performed rapidly. I have tried jarring the 

 plants and have seen a brush used, but do not consider 

 either as good as the above method." In the brighter 

 days of March and later I have found no other attention 

 necessary than keeping the house dry at midday. 



But there appears to be further reason why hand pol- 

 lination is profitable. In my earliest 

 experiences in tomato forcing I was 

 impressed with the fact that indoor 

 tomatoes are smaller than those grown 

 out of doors, and the midwinter fruits 

 are usually smaller than those pro- 

 duced under the same circumstances 

 in late spring. There is also a 54 . one-sided tomato. 

 marked tendency in house tomatoes to be one-sided, as 

 indicated in Fig. 54. It was a long time before any 

 12 FORC. 



