THE KITCHEN-GARDEN. 241 



the hollow centre. Now, the only varieties worth 

 raising cut as solid as a mellow pear. The follow- 

 ing is Gregory's list of varieties: Livingston's 

 Beauty, Alpha, Acme, Canada Victor, Arlington, 

 General Grant. I will add Trophy and Mikado. 

 If a yellow variety is desired, try Golden Trophy. 

 If the tomato needs warm weather in which to 

 thrive, the egg-plant requires that both days and 

 nights should be hot. It is an East Indiaman, and 

 demands curry in the way of temperature before it 

 loses its feeble yellow aspect and takes on the dark 

 green of vigorous health. My method is simply 

 this: I purchase strong potted plants between 

 the twentieth of May and the first of June, and 

 set them out in a rich, warm soil. A dozen well- 

 grown plants will supply a large family with egg- 

 fruit. Of course one can start the young plants 

 themselves, as in the case of tomatoes; but it 

 should be remembered that they are much more 

 tender and difficult to raise than is the tomato. 

 Plants from seed sown in the open ground would 

 not mature in our latitude, as a rule. The best 

 plan is to have the number you need grown for you 

 by those who make it their business. Egg-plants 

 are choice morsels for the potato-beetle, and they 

 must be watched vigilantly if we would save them. 

 There is no better variety than the New York 

 Improved. 



16 



