I905-] 



Notes as to Tomato Growing. 



357 



from an old pasture, the soil of which is a rather light clay loam 

 or a heavy sandy loam. With this should be incorporated 

 about one-fourth of its bulk of well-rotted farmyard manure, 

 preferably cow manure. By composting these two materials for 

 from four to six months before they are required for use a very 

 satisfactory soil for the forcing of tomatoes will result. 



It is not well to allow the soil to remain in the greenhouse 

 longer than a single season. It becomes somewhat exhausted, 

 and is likely to become infested with injurious forms of life, 

 particularly nematodes, which cause root-knots upon the tomato 

 plants. This trouble, however, can be removed by sterilising 

 by steam. Sterilisation can be carried on in boxes 12 in. to 15 in. 

 or 18 in. deep, in the bottom of which are steam pipes with 

 perforations every 2 in., the perforations being about one- 

 sixteenth of an inch in diameter and so placed that they are on 

 the under-side of the pipe. The pipes are arranged in coils and 

 distributed far enough apart to allow the blade of a spade to be 

 worked between them. A lid to fit the top of the box should 

 be provided, and the box should be made to hold one or two 

 cartloads of compost. After subjecting the soil to the action of 

 the steam a sufficiently long time to cook a potato buried in it 

 the soil will have become thoroughly sterilised. 



Pollination. — Under the conditions existing in a greenhouse 

 it is necessary to pollinate the flowers of the tomato artificially, 

 otherwise only a very small percentage of fruits will set. A 

 satisfactory way to do this is to use a watch-glass, i^in. or 1^ in. 

 in diameter, embedded in putty, at the end of a handle, 

 of light material such as white pine, 12 in. or 18 in. long. 

 Taking this in the left hand and a light pine stick of equal 

 length in the other hand, pass through the house, tapping 

 each open flower lightly, at the same time holding the watch- 

 glass under the flowers to catch the pollen. Before removing 

 the watch-glass from this position, lift it sufficiently to cause 

 the stigma of the flower to dip into the pollen contained in the 

 glass. By carefully going through the house from day to day 

 during the blooming period nearly 90 per cent, of the blossoms 

 which develop can be caused to set. 



