TOMATO 275 
has been used for growing mushrooms, to suitable areas 
in the field. The land is plowed a few times during the 
summer and the soil placed on raised beds in the fall for 
the culture of tomatoes and carnations. Bone meal is 
generally mixed with the soil when it is transferred to 
the houses, and the tomato plants are fed with liquid 
manure after the fruit is set. 
Seed.—Very few vegetables are more susceptible to 
improvement from seed selection than the tomato. 
Numerous examples could be cited of growers, who, 
being pleased with certain characteristics of perhaps well- 
known varieties, have made decided progress in improv- 
ing them by means of careful seed selection. This state- 
ment applies to Bonny Best, Lord Roberts, Comet and 
other prominent greenhouse varieties. In some instances, 
the improvement has been so marked that a new name 
has been given the superior strain, as when Peerless was 
developed as a selection of Lord Roberts. ; 
Seedsmen often make a specialty of varieties suitable 
for forcing purposes. In some instances the strains are 
most excellent and growers would not make a mistake by 
purchasing such seed. Scores of growers, however, do 
not care to take any risks in the matter of planting the 
best seed, so that there is a general and an increasing 
tendency to make careful selections from plants in their 
own greenhouses. When an unusually good crop is pro- 
duced it is possible to save enough seed from robust, 
productive plants to last five years or even longer, so that 
it is unnecessary to give this matter attention every year. 
The grower should establish high ideals with reference 
to the most important points—such as color, size and shape 
of fruit, productiveness of the plants and their ability to 
resist disease—and the desired characteristics should be 
kept constantly in mind in selecting fruit for seed pur- 
poses. 
Cuttings—Tomato plants are easily propagated by 
means of cuttings. They may be made of any convenient 
