The Illustrated Guide for Amateur Gardeners. 
TOMATOES. 
per pkfc. — s. d. 
W DANIELS’ KING EDWARD VII. This fine 
TOMATO— DANIELS’ KING EDWARD VII 
Reduced from a Photograph. 
Tomato is a decided advance on most existing varieties, 
and certainly one of the best yet sent out. The .plant 
is of a sturdy, vigorous, short-jointed habit of growth, 
with an excellent constitution. It is a continuous 
bloomer, a free setter, an abundant bearer, and con- 
tinues in fruit for a very long period. The large, 
splendidly coloured fruits, which are produced in 
handsome clusters of eight to ten or twelve, are very 
deep, almost round in form, and very solid and heavy, 
whilst in flavour it is all that can be desired. This fine 
Tomato is admirably suited for growing in pots. In 
consideration of its heavy cropping, and the superior 
Quality of its fruit, this will be founl a really first- 
class variety, alike for the market grower or amateur 
exhibitor. Our own selected stock . . ..10 
Jgy DANIELS’ No. 1. A grand Tomato, which we have 
every confidence in recommending as one of the finest. 
The plant is of a sturdy habit and a robust constitution ; 
a free setter and exceedingly heavy cropper. The fruit 
are of good size, of the most beautiful form and per- 
fectly smooth, whilst the splendid colour and excellent 
flavour leave nothing to be desired . . . . ..10 
DV* THE DANIELS. The fruit are of good size, rather 
above the medium, smooth, brilliant scarlet in colour, 
of beautiful form, exquisite flavour, and remarkably 
solid. It is a robust grower, and a marvellously pro- 
fuse and continuous bearer. A first-class variety for 
cultivation under glass . . . . . . ..10 
Cultivation. — One of the chief things which has contributed to the 
great popularity of tho Tomato is the fact that it is so very easily grown. 
It is now generally recognised that Tomatoes can be quite successfully 
cultivated without such heavy dressings of manure as were used at one 
time, although there are certain periods when good liberal dressings of 
manure are necessary ; but when tho plants are young they do not need it. 
For the earliest Spring crop the seed should be sown in January or 
early in February in pots or pans of light rich soil, and these should bo 
placed on a shelf in the greenhouse ; the vessel should be covered over 
with a sheet of glass to hold the moisture and kept at an even temperature 
until the seed has germinated As soon as tho plants have formed the 
soed leaf, liavo them potted olf singly into three-inch pots and grow them 
on in a warm house, potting on into six-inch pots later, in which size they 
should remain until permanently planted out in the borders, or potted 
into the fruiting pots. 
Many people prefer to grow their early crops in pots ton inches to 
twelve inches in diameter, claiming (we believe rightly) that they are 
bettor able to attend to the careful watering of tho plants and thus avoid 
any injury to the roots. The treatment of young Tomato plants is pretty 
much the same as would be given to early Cucumbers, they should have 
a temperature of 00“ during tho day, and not less than 50° — 55° at night. 
For a main crop sow tho seed in February or March, then transfer into 
pots as before advised ; it is of great importance that the plants be kept 
sturdy and therefore air should be given on all favourable occasions. 
Tho drainage of both the pots in which the young plants are grown on and 
the borders or boxes in which they are to fruit should be very carefully 
looked to, so as to allow of their receiving copious supplies of water, 
especially during the fruiting period. When planted out in the greenhouse 
border, the plants should be placed about 18 inches apart and supported 
either by means of a stake or tied up with soft string to the roof, alL side 
growths should be cleared off as they appear, and only the main stem 
allowed to grow away, this being stopped when it reaches the glass, or 
when three or four trusses of fruit have been set. 
The boot soil for Tomatoes is a good rich loam to which has been added 
a light dressing of farm-yard manure, say one-fifth of the bulk ; many 
growers do not put any manure in the soil at the time of planting, leaving 
the feeding until the first truss of fruit has set, when they apply regular 
dressings of artificial manure, or give a mulching of well-decayed manure 
and water the same thoroughly in. In no case must the manure used bo 
taken from a heap that is heated or the result will be disastrous. Most 
growers cut olf nearly all the foliage after the fruit is well set to allow the 
sun to have access to it : this is a good plan, but must not in any case be 
done too early or the effect will be very harmful to tho crop. 
