Crops for Pickling and Preserving. 
729 
English summer, and arrive at maturity before the autumn frosts 
set in. At no stage of their growth can they withstand frost, 
so it is useless to plant them out before the end of May. The 
land must be highly manured, with the tilth most carefully pre- 
pared ; and the plants should be set from 2 feet to 2 feet 6 inches 
square apart, and kept scrupulously clean. They are supported 
by strong stakes driven firmly into the ground. After the plants 
have grown to the required height, the tops and laterals must be 
kept back, so as to encourage the formation of blooms; and this 
nipping of the shoots must continue as long as the plants appear 
to need it. The yield is very variable, on account of the mildew, 
and varies from an almost total failure to 10 tons of fruit per 
acre. Of course, in situations where walls with favourable aspects 
can be utilised, some of the advantages of houses are obtained, 
and tomatoes do better than in strictly open places. 
The mildew which attacks the leaves, and then the stems 
of the plants, and thus prevents flowering or fruiting, is, 
as previously stated, very similar to that which attacks the 
botanically-allied potato. The remedy announced for potato- 
disease should therefore prove as effective on tomatoes as on 
potatoes. A solution of blue vitriol, mixed with lime, 1 is applied, 
in the form of a spray, before the plants show signs of attack ; 
and the dressing must be repeated whenever the weather is 
humid, or in any way seems likely to promote the disease. 
A point in favour of growing tomatoes in the open air is 
that they make most excellent pickles ; and those who are 
not fortunate enough to be able to ripen the fruit, would do 
well to pay attention to this method of utilising them. They 
must be unripe for pickling purposes, as it is necessary that they 
should be hard. No other vegetable grown in England appears 
to be capable of conversion into so many kinds of sauce as the 
tomato, and many of them are very simple to make. Thus 
another convenient means of disposing of the produce which has 
not ripened sufficiently to be consumed as fruit is afforded. 
Many varieties are before the public, but perhaps the most 
popular for open-air culture are Carter's Perfection and Sutton's 
Maincrop. Carter's Ked and Yellow Currant Tomatoes are well 
adapted for pickling. 
Walnuts. — Pickled walnuts are so distinct in character from 
any other pickles, and are so highly esteemed, that there is always 
a steady market for them. 
1 This is the bouillie bordclaiae (" Bordeaux stirabout "), used as a fungicide 
by French cultivators. The proportions are 6 lb. of lime, 6 lb. of sulphate of 
copper (blue vitriol, bluestone), and 10 gallons of water. — Ed. 
