64 FORCING DWARF TOMATOES UNDER GLASS 



gether with their slow growth, not reaching the glass so 

 quickly, is a point in their favor. An accompanying figure 

 shows the relative closeness of the fruit spurs. 



Two plants of each of the dwarf varieties grown in the 

 greenhouse were trimmed and photographed to show these 

 characters. It may be said that these are old plants at the 

 close of the experiment, and some of the old fruit spurs have 

 fallen off. Enough remain, however, to demonstrate their 

 characteristic growth. 



Pollinatio7i — The first flowers to appear need artificial aid 

 to enable them to set. Later when there are many in blossom 

 and the atmosphere is kept dry during the brighter part of the 

 day pollination is accomplished by simply tapping the plants. 

 From our own experience we are of the opinion that for re- 

 sults hand pollination is far preferable. It takes consider- 

 able time to do the work well, but this brings results. Where 

 artificial hand pollination is carried out nearly all the flowers 

 set their fruit and the fruits are thought to run more uniform in 

 size and appearance. There are various ways of pollinating 

 the flowers. A common one is to collect the pollen by 

 knocking it from the flower and catching it in a watch glass, 

 spoon, etc., and then dip the stigma of the flowers into it. A 

 method that I have found satisfactory and which seems to 

 recommend itself is to take the corolla from the flower just as 

 soon as it begins to lose its bright yellow color and by cutting 

 it along one side and turning it inside out the pollen is exposed 

 and is readily brought in contact with the stigma of the same 

 or other flowers. By taking hold of the tip of one of the 

 petals and giving it a slight twitch the whole corolla loosens 

 about the base of the pistil and slips ofl'over the same. The 

 stamens are attached to the base of the corolla and come off 

 with it. By this simple method no receptacle is needed to 

 catch the pollen and the whole thing is accomplished by the 

 simple manipulation of the fingers. The pistil of the flower 

 from which the corolla is removed is not injured in the least and 

 goes right on developing its fruit. This simplifies pollination 

 and any one can do the work easily. One blossom usually 

 contains enough pollen for a number of flowers. It is difficult 

 sometimes to set the fruit on the first blossom that appears but 



