The Illustrated Guide for Amateur Gardeners. 
Tomato or Love-apple. 
Owing to the great improvement- 
in this choice fruit, the l'omato has 
for many years been growing in 
favour with all classes of the com- 
munity, for no other product grown 
is more wholesome, For months 
in the Summer time it may he 
gathered fresh, and share the fate 
of Pears, Melons, and Peaches, or 
preserved for Winter use ; so, prac- 
tically, it can be had all the year 
round for salads, soups, and sauces; 
for whether baked, boiled, stewed, 
or fried with chops and steaks, 
spread on buttered toast, or eaten 
raw as a salad, or with sugar, it is 
equally wholesome and nutritious. 
But to the thorough lover of the 
Tomato, there is no way so agree- 
able in the heat of Summer as to 
eat them from the plant. The great 
advance made in the quality of 
the Tomato is not more strikingly 
illustrated than in the “Scarlet 
Perfection.” The plant is of 
robust constitution, and very pro- 
lific. The fruit are of large size 
and perfectly smooth, and when 
ripe of a glossy orange scarlet. 
The flesh is solid, rich in flavour, 
and of unsurpassable quality. 
Out-door Cultivation. 
Sow in March on a slight hot-bed, 
and when two or three inches high 
pot off singly into three-inch pots. 
In middle of April place in cool 
frame or under handglasses to hard- 
en off. About this period great 
care should be taken to keep the 
... young plants shaded from the sun, 
and well supplied with water. Towards the end of May plant out about four feet apart, in good rich soil, against a south wall, or closo to 
the fence on a warm border. As the plants grow they should bo trained up thinly, and nailed up or fastened. Pinch out the young 
blanches from amongst the fruit, as it is highly important they should have the fullest benefit of sun and air to insure their full 
ripening. T requent doses of weak liquid manure all through the growing season will be found of great service. 
Cultivation under Glass has of late years become quite a remunerative pastime with many amateur gardeners, and a 
great financial benefit to the market grower. Being of such easy culture they can be raised from seed in any ordinary hot-bed or shelf in 
a greenhouse, V hen large enough to handle, transplant in pans of light rich soil, and in a few days they will he large enough for potting 
into single pots, and as growth is very rapid, it is necessary to provide a suitable place for them to be planted for fruiting; this we always 
recommend should be where the roots have the advantage of securing the warmth of the house in which they are growing, that is to say, 
m pots or boxes, or anything that will hold soil, should be placed on shelves or stands as the case may be; this not only benefits the plants 
by keeping the roots warmer, hut provides better means for drainage, which is very essential in the cultivation of Tomatoes. We have 
known many disappointments to arise from no other cause than stagnation at the roots. The chief other requirements are, some good rich 
soil, composed of loam, leaf-mould, and manure, two-parts of the former, and one of the latter. Wo generally recommend the single stem 
system, single stem to each plant, pinching out all side shoots as they appear, thus putting all the strength of the plant into one stem, 
which should not be stopped until well set with fruit. Plant from twelve to eighteen inches apart. In order to induce a sturdy and 
healthy growth air should be freely given at all stages, keeping the plants as near the glass as possible, and free circulation of air is all 
important, as it causes the pollen to travel more freely, and materially assists hybridisation, thus ensuring a more abundant crop. When 
the plants are well set with fruit, their size and quality can be greatly improved by giving liquid manure two or three times a week. 
Success in 1 omato growing depends upon constant root moisture, combined with good drainage, genial warmth, and ample ventilation. 
After repeated trials the following varieties have been pronounced by the most expert growers to be the finest in cultivation, and may be 
regarded as the best selection that can be made. 
DANIELS' SCARLET PERFECTION. 
RED VARIETIES. 
"DANIELS’ SCARLET PERFEC- 
TION. Very handsome, perfectly round and 
smooth, firm and solid, flavour first-class, and of 
a beautiful glossy scarlet colour ... ... Is. and 2 0 
DANIELS’ CRIMSON QUEEN. A 
beautiful scarlet crimson variety of extra fine form and 
delicate flavour, very prolific and early; a magnificent 
variety for exhibition purposes ... 10 
Criterion, a most superior red sort, of handsome 
form and large size ... ... ... ... 0 6 
Hathaway’s Excelsior or stamfordian. 
A fine early variety, producing in great profusion a 
large, smooth, round, and heavy fruit ; handsome ... 0 6 
"King Humbert or Chiswick Red. First 
Class Certificate R.H.S. ... ... ... ... 0 6 
per pkt.— 
Ponderosa (see Novelties) 
"Laxton’s Open-air. It is said to be the 
earliest and hardiest in cultivation .. . ... 6d. and 
♦Large Red. Very prolific and useful 
"New Early Champion. Succeeds well both 
under glass and in the open air. It is of dwarf, compact 
habit, fruit smooth, solid, and of a bright red (Id. and 
New Peach. Fruit is uniform in size, about as large 
as a medium-sized Peach, having a delicious fruity 
flavour not met with in any other ... 
Chemin. Smooth, good shape and colour; fine 
market variety .. . ... ... ... 6d. and 
Conference. Very handsome, perfectly round and 
smooth, flesh firm and solid 
s. d. 
1 0 
1 0 
0 4 
1 0 
1 0 
1 0 
1 0 
Those marked thus * are the best for open air cultivation. 
