184 



THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 



TOMATOES. 



BY REV. V. CLEMENTI, B. A., PETERBOROUGH. 



The last number of the Canadian Horticulturist contains a list 

 of what are described as the " four best sorts" of Tomatoes. Permit 

 me to recommend three others to the notice of your readers, the Hath- 

 away, the Acme, and last, but not worst, the Criterion. 



The last named I have grown 

 for the first time during the past 

 season, and have been much pleased 

 with it. It is plum shaped, and 

 rather small, but of a delicate flavor 

 and pleasing appearance, and is a 

 most prolific bearer. Its color is 

 red and yellow, and in many in- 

 stances it is very prettily mottled. 

 At our last horticultural exhibition 

 it attracted much attention, and 

 obtained a first prize. I enclose a 

 water-color sketch of one of an 

 average size, many are larger and 

 some smaller. 



While writing about tomatoes, I may mention that in our neighbor- 

 hood we have been much plagued by an immense number of the larva) 

 of the Five-spotted Sphinx, S. quinquemaculatus, during the past 

 summer. The caterpillars are commonly called "Tomato Worms," 

 and are vulgarly supposed to be poisonous; I need scarcely add that 

 the latter imputation is altogether foundationless. Like many other 

 larvae, they eject, when handled, a drop of liquid from their mouths, 

 but this is quite innocuous. I killed about one hundred of these 

 caterpillars in my own small garden, a number which, if left to their 

 own wicked wills, would speedily have utterly defoliated the whole of 

 my stock of plants. 



The above engraving of tlie Criterion Tomato has been prepared 

 from the water-color sketcli of Mr. Clementi, and will enable our 

 readers to form a just conception of its size and general appearance. 



