r8o8 



GARDENERS' 



MAGAZINE. 



525 



Vegetables for Exhibition. 



THE TOMATO. 



but a few years that the tomato (Lycopersicum esculentum) was 

 ^Iv known or grown in this country except by the wealthy and owners 

 5K ! gardens, and then only to very limited extent, being grown on a 

 th wall in the open. But now what a change ; hundreds of acres of 

 ^ are devoted to their culture at home and hundreds of tons are im- 

 Lrted annually to supply the ever-increasing demand. The difference 

 between a well-grown and nicely-ripened tomato and a poor one is most 

 apparent, an d to have fruits in perfection they should be ripened on the 

 riant and under glass. The hybridizers have kept pace with the times, 

 and no doubt the introduction of so many first-class varieties has^ had 



111* 



Where 



ch to popularise tomatos. _ L J 0 



varieties are selected, there is no reason why fresh tomatos should 



SVI 



U It 1 



flot be had every day in tne year. 



I will first treat upon cultivation under glass. The first sowing should 

 be made the first week in January in a light sandy compost in heat, and 

 as soon as the young seedlings appear above the soil place them on a 

 shelf quite near the glass, and just before they come into the rough leaf 

 pot on singly into thumb-pots, using three parts leaf soil, one part loam, 

 mdafair amount of coarse silver sand, which should be warmed to the 

 same temperature as the house in which the seedlings are growing. The 

 soil should be pressed moderately firm about them, and right up to the 

 seed leaf. Water in with warm water, as no check must be given them 

 at this season of the year, and excess of moisture both at the roots and 

 overhead must be avoided. The next shift should be into large sixty 

 pots, and as soon as sufficient roots are made pot again into thirty-two's, 

 after which they should be transferred to the fruiting pots, which should 

 be eight or ten-inch size. The aim all along should be to encourage a 

 strong, sturdy growth, and though some plant them out, I much prefer pot 

 oolture, especially for winter and early supplies. The plants may be grown 

 tied to stout stakes in an upright position or trained to a trellis near the 

 lass always affording them as much light as possible. The single stem 

 tern 1 have found to answer best, removing all lateral growth as fast 

 ' ippears. The soil for the final potting should be three parts good 

 fcrous loam and one part well decayed leaf soil, with some coarse sand 

 added. The pots should be well drained, and it will be well to examine 

 the early flowers daily, and with a camel's hair brush dust the flowers to 

 ensure a free set, or, failing this, smartly tap the stems in the middle of 

 the day. A stagnant atmosphere should always be guarded against, or 

 tlie dreaded fungus on the leaf will be almost certain to make its appear- 

 K ^ but 1 have nev er found it to make any serious headway when a dry 

 fcojrant atmosphere is maintained. Manure should not be applied in 

 >rm till the plants are well set with fruit, after which it may be 

 given freely every other watering. I prefer the drainings from the farm- 

 E C " pCr u y d,,utcd ' to m other aids - Awards the end of April, if the 

 £lr U '% n , pr ° perly Cared for ' ri P e fruit ma y be expected. During 

 Clin n T 17 aUt T n near ! y any k,n(1 of house > P jt > or ev en cold 



S ( >«cc excellent results. I have seen splendid exhibition fruit 



Eed Lnfh H n 1 C0M fr t me by Si . mply out the ground to the 



2Ka^lT^^ g ^ P ? tS in the front > runnin & ^ the growth 

 Son WriS 1 d f anCe f, 'r * e g J aSS ' The !i & hts shoild be pulled 

 X Tt^t^t^ f 5? K ep \ aCed ° n C ° ld ni & hts and w et weather. 

 «Smn sn D S e S n t ?, heated brick pits, and we generally grow our 



M ^ l ^ t .I' , hlS wa >- 1 0 kee P U P * constant supply, a small 



° n Ce u a r nt , h ? urin S s P rin S and summer. 



f^^ ^S^L? r i be foun i the most difficu,t m ° nths f ° r 



better no ito ^SV^ unless on f r has means at command it is 

 « be adapted hrtt * he attCmpt ^ ^ll-heated, light, lean-to houses 

 %"st and P il a in in 4 P ? rP u Se ' and . the Seed should be sown early in. 

 fits should T in a S c f temb e^ as it is absolutely necessary that the 



*'finaf^ before placing them in 



* «*d k^SZ^^S^i E, ^ ht - lnch Pots, well drained, should 



**trs riinnW llTTS^ ^ aI SUr P 1US growth kept CUt awav. 



The 



^mosph 

 •eather 



rees 



is 



Ex 



keep well for weeks. 



*ie 

 only 



SETS 



,"7 positi. 



Wen 



it , 



dry summer, ran Tk ' 1 a ver y Precarious crop, and 

 » fa as mv evn • 6 made t0 pay - Besides > il is absolutely 

 ard wJteZSTES? f° eS -' to SOw early, 'and bring the 



X first weekTn P MarcT *~* °^ *<* t0 be 



e plants bv renoni™ ? 1,. ' nd ever y encouragement 

 -1 under class ^hi??K necessary, giving them a light, 



T m \ stout > well-hardened condi- 

 in J»ne. ' The L?.r !h 1 d . 0 "l th L e last week in May or the 

 treated"' c22.£? ti^**** Priding they have 



site 



can be 



c-w-T — ' pioiection should be given 

 seless to attempt outside cultivation unless 



I rxv] 



be Srt, m ? kes its appearance. 



m^^ \t n ^ 5S»F* -Posing the fruits as 

 •HI 



stem, removing all surplus 

 In dull cold weather the 



in? 0 " 



on 



'wed 



3 °f half-dccav^ \ i g °° d Set of f 



Wtcd with ^7 d t ho r se manure sh °^ 



^ with I ' ^ ten ^ hot, dry weather 



syringe 



* 1 t0 stou t stakes, but a good 



t£ ^ rows 2 fi ° Ur u feet from P Iant to P lant > and five feet between 



<Som7d' it ma K ^ ^ glVen ' AS S ° 0n aS the fruit 55 P artialJ y 



ex m warmth Y ii P1 ° ked and finished off under & lass ' and ^e little 

 of frnJin^ . im Prove the flavour considerably. On the first signs 



un in h ni ' ? U ^ the green fruit Sh ° uld be & athered in and hung 

 fo P r enni^f npen ^ a fairl y warm temperature. They will be useful 

 ?mf f 2? P« r Poses, will make excellent sauce, and may be kept some 



iiv^r^ i n C0ld ' wet ' sunless seasons the outside crop is 



invariably attacked by the tomato disease, which often completely ruins 



ine entire crop. I know of no remedy except to take off and burn the 

 atfected leaves as fast as the disease makes its appearance. Under glass, 

 however, it can be dealt with, and stamped out by raising the temperature 

 with tire-heat and keeping a dryer atmosphere. The same applies to the 

 black spot often seen in the green fruit, but I have found but little 

 difficulty in stamping this out by the removal of the affected fruit. A 

 small white fly which increases at a great rate unless checked in the 

 early stages, often gives much trouble under glass, but persistent 

 [umigating every night and morning for three or four days should free 

 the plants of these. One or two applications is of no avail, as they simply 

 tall down stupefied and make their reappearance in a day or two. 



Tomatos are indispensable to vegetable exhibitors at all seasons of 

 the year, as they form one of the most pleasing and important dishes in 

 a collection of vegetables of any number, and if presented in good con- 

 dition are bound to arrest the attention of the judges. One of the most 

 important points to study is the selection of varieties, as it is useless to 

 exhibit the older varieties, especially in close competion. The selection 

 of the fruit should be made directly after they are set, leaving not more 

 than two on a bunch, and the plants ought not to be over taxed, especially 

 when the roots are confined in pots or boxes. Occasional doses of 

 artificial manure should be applied, a dessert spoonful will be ample to an 

 eight-inch pot ; use also liquid manure frequently, and do not allow the 

 plants to suffer from dryness at the roots. The fruits should be carefully cut 

 and laid on some soft material in a dry, warm room after they are well 

 coloured, or many will probably crack. They will keep for some days 

 in good condition, and enable the remainder to be finished off properly 

 on the plants. I consider that tomatos for exhibition can hardly be too 

 large, providing, of course, they are perfect in other ways. The chief 

 points to be aimed at are size, freshness, shape, colour, smoothness of 

 skin, small eye, and evenness of fruit throughout ; the fruits look best 

 arranged on clean white cotton wool. 



There are now numberless varieties for exhibition; but the Perfection 

 type cannot be beaten. Among the very best selections that have come 

 under my notice areCutbush's Polegate, hard to surpass when at its best ; 

 Carter's Duke of York, a fine coloured variety ; Sutton's Best of All, of 

 perfect shape; and Webb's Sensation, also excellent The above are 

 all red skinned and large varieties Two very fine yellow kinds for show 

 purposes are Veitches' Golden Jubilee and Sutton's Golden Perfection, 

 but preference ought always to be given to the red skinned kinds. Some 

 of the small and medium fruiting kinds of both colours are of delicious 

 flavour, and in showing a collection of tomatos and ornamental displays 

 of vegetables some of them ought to be included ; these should be put up 

 in bunches, if possible. Sutton's Dessert, Sutton's Miniature Pear- 

 shaped, Sutton's A 1 and Peachblow in reds ; and Carter's Greengage, 

 Sutton's Golden Nugget, Sutton's Sunbeam, and Sutton's Prince of Wales 

 among other colours. For market and general use Hackwood Park 

 Prolific and Chemin Rouge are among the best. For winter use Earliest 

 of All is a great favourite, though not so pleasing in shape as many others. 

 It is of good colour, fine flavour, and sets most freely. For outside cultiva- 

 tion I can very strongly recommend Carter's Outdoor ; it is most distinct 

 from any other variety I am acquainted with, and the quickest to ripen. 

 This should become a general favourite for outdoor cultivation. 



Aldenhcun House Gardens. E. BECKETT. 



Fertilisation of the Foxglove. — It must never be supposed, writes Sir 



Edwin Arnold in the Daily TeTegraph, that the spring-time plunderer of rose 

 bushes is called " humble bee " by naturalists or by other bees in any deprecating 

 or stuck up sense. Beyond doubt " bumble " or " humming * bee is the proper 

 name, and the handsome insect which wears it is really far more useful to the 

 world of flowers than hive bees, or perhaps any other of its kind. Certain sorts 

 of clover and the familiar scarlet-runner, as well as the foxglove, and other plants 

 can only be fertilised by visits of the humble bees. There are many of that 

 species in Nicaragua, but for want of the proper bee Belt tells us that the phaseo- 

 lus, the French bean, has never produced a single pod in that country. In the 

 same way the vanilla plant, introduced into India from tropical America, grows 

 well and flowers there, indeed, but has never once fruited for want of its own 

 proper insect. The accomplished and charming naturalist just mentioned had 

 the honour to assht Darwin himself in understanding how the humble bee is 

 indispensable to the foxglove (Digitalis purpurea). He says : "The racemes of 

 Durole bells held up by the foxglove are methodically visited by it, commencing at 

 the bottom flower, and ascending step by step to the highest. The four stamens 

 and the pistil of the foxglove are laid closely against the upper side of the flower. 

 First a stamen on one side opens its anthers and exposes its pollen. The humble 

 bee as it bustles in and out, brushes this off. Then another stamen exposes its 

 pollen on the other side ; then another and another ; but not till all the pollen 

 has been brushed off does the cleft end of the pistil open and expose its viscid stigmm. 

 The humble bee brushes off the pollen on to its hairy coat from the upper flowers 01 

 Mrpm(i „ n A carries it direct to the lowest flowers of another, where the viscid 

 Sma^ ^ f open and ready to receive it. If the humble bee went first to the 

 er flowers of the spike, and proceeded downwards, the whole of the economy 

 of this Dlant to procure cross-fertilisation would be upset. The open flower of the 

 foxrfove hancs downwards. The lower part, or dilated opening of the tube, is 

 turned outwards, and has scattered stiff hairs distributed over its inner surface ; 

 above these the inside of the flower hangs almost perpendicularly, and is smooth 

 and nearly The large humble bee bustles in with the greatest ease, and uses these 

 hairs as footholds whilst he is sucking the honey ; but the smaller honey bees (who 

 would be unserviceable) are impeded by them, and when, having at last struggled 

 through them, they reach the pearly, slippery precipice above, they are com- 

 pletely batHed." So intimately is the floral world linked with that of the insects. 



