6o FORCING DWARF TOMATOES UNDER GLASS 



slowly." It is uiulerstood that in this test an attempt was 

 made to train all the varieties to a single stem. This is the 

 only instance the writer is aware of in which a dwarf variety 

 of tomatoes has been trained to a single stem for the purposes 

 named. The fact that they were trained to strings as supports 

 and were probably shaded by the other varieties would account 

 for the unfavorable results. 



At the New Hampshire station dwarf varieties have been 

 grown for the past three years, and have been trained to a 

 single stem, but not on any large scale until the season of 

 1900-1901 . At this time a greenhouse suitably adapted for the 

 purpose was set aside for the experiment. 



The house used is 32 by 25 feet in dimensions. The beds, 

 with the exception of one side beHch which was not used in 

 the experiment and is four feet wide running the length of the 

 house, are directly on the ground. This gives plenty of over- 

 head space and is well adapted for growing tall-growing crops. 

 T\\Q heat is supplied by steam from two coils of pipes on 

 each side of the house. One coil is directly under the side 

 bench, which is raised, while the other hangs on the op- 

 posite side, both running lengthwise of the house. Each coil 

 is so arranged that either one half or the whole radiating 

 surface can be used, thus giving an opportunity to regulate the 

 temperature very easily. The house is also equipped with a 

 Johnston thermostat. By this an even temperature is readily 

 maintained. The proper temperature for tomatoes is between 

 60° and 70° at night, and between 70° and So° or more during 

 the day. The tomato needs plenty of moisture. The only 

 time when a humid atmosphere may be objectionable is when 

 the fruit is setting. 



Soil and FertiUze7's. — We have been successful by using 

 a well enriched soil, containing an abundance of available 

 plant food. That used by us was a sandy loam composted by 

 mixing equal parts of rich dark loam, sand, and manure. The 

 beds were ground beds and the prepared soil averged about 

 six inches in depth. The subsoil was loosened up to about 

 the same depth before the other was put in. After the plants 

 had been bearing for a short time and in order to provide 

 enough plant food, they were watered once or twice a week 



