550 



TOMATOES UNDER GLASS. 



abnormal shoot was allowed to grow were generally 

 smaller and more irregular than upon clipped shoots. 



During all the early growth the atmosphere may be 

 kept moist, particularly in sunny days, when it is cus- 

 tomary to wet down the walks. Care must be taken in 

 watering. It is best to soak the soil pretty thoroughly at 

 each watering, yet it should not be drenched. Careless 

 watering usually leaves the surface wet while the under 

 soil remains dry. This must be avoided. In midwinter 

 we water our plants thoroughly about twice a week, giving 

 no water directly to them between times. If the red 



winter some artificial aid must be given the flowers to en- 

 able them to set. I am strongly of the opinion that it will 

 pay the commercial grower to transfer the pollen by hand 

 during midwinter. At that season the flowers are most 

 likely to fail and the product is the most valuable. The 

 most expeditious and satisfactory method which I know 

 is to knock the pollen from the flowers, catching it in a 

 spoon, watch glass, or other receptacle, and then to dip 

 the stigmas of the same or other flowers into it. There 

 is a time in the life of the flower when the pollen falls 

 out readily, if the atmosphere is dry enough to hold dust. 



View in Tom.'\to House. Plants Three Months Old, Trai.sed on Sirincs. 



spider should attack the plants the atmosphere must be 

 moist, and in bad attacks the foliage should be syringed. 

 Every care should be taken to keep the plants free from 

 the spider, for the pest cannot well be overcome after the 

 fruit begins to set, when the house should be kept dry. 

 If fungi begin to attack the plants, however, the atmos- 

 phere will probably need to be kept drier. 



When the flowers begin to appear the atmosphere must 

 be kept dry during the brigter part of the day in order to 

 facilitate pollination. The pollen is discharged most pro- 

 fusely in dry sunny days. In the short dull days of mid- 



This is when the flower is fully expanded and somewhat 

 past its prime. The flower is tapped lightly with a lead 

 pencil, and the light yellow powder falls out freely. C. 

 J. Pennock, a Cornell graduate, grows winter tomatoes for 

 market, and writes me as follows: "During the short 

 days of winter I pollinate carefully every day, and I con- 

 sider the operation necessary. I use a light piece of wood 

 about sixteen inches long and one-half inch square, one 

 end of which has a slight saucer-like depression. This 

 stick is held in the left hand with the depression under 

 the blossom to be pollinated. Another light stick or reed 



