192 
L. acutangula , Ihe Petola Sanding. — Differs from the last in 
having the long cylindrical fruit with ten angles on it, the Loo- 
phar having ten low ribs only or being quite smooth. It is grown 
and used in the same way. 
Tomatoes. 
This excellent vegetable sometimes grows and fruits so well 
that residents often wonder why everyone does not grow it. Al- 
most eyery one interested in horticulture has tried the tomato, 
and usually at first has obtained splendid crops, but after one or 
two succcessful ciops, the plants take to suddenly dying off, fre- 
quently just before the fruit is ripe. This is almost invariably 
due to the tomato fungus, which is, if not quite, identical witn 
the potato rot (Peronosporn). This disease is most common in 
wet weather, and is very difficult to avoid, and when once it has 
attacked the plants, they seem to wither up in a few hours. 
Some cultivators grow their plants in beds, while others prefer 
large pots or kerosine tins. The advantage of growing them in 
tins or pots is chiefly that they can be moved at will to a drier 
or shadier position, and also that they are less liable to the at- 
tacks of wireworms, millepeds and other animals which feed on 
the roots. The seeds are sown thinly in boxes and planted out 
in the tins or beds as soon as they are big enough. One or two 
plants are quite enough for a tin, in beds they should be planted 
about two feet apart'. Ground that lias been well manured foi 
a previous crop, is better than that which has been newly man- 
nured, but a dressing of burnt earth may be dug in with advan- 
tage at the time of planting. The soil, however, should be made 
fairly rich in any case. As the plants grow, it is requisite, to 
support them with stakes. A light trellis of split bamboo, to 
which the plants are carefully tied, is generally used for plants in 
tins or pots Those in beds are usually simply tied to stakes. 
Mr. Curtis, however, says — “An easy and satisfactory way of 
supporting is to put down strong stakes about three feet high at 
the four corners of the beds, and at intervals along the sides, to 
which are firmly tied horizontally others running the whole 
length and breadth, and thus completely surrounding the bed 
which should not be more than four feet wide. On the top of 
this, smaller sticks should be laid transversely at about six inches 
apart, and tied at each end, thus forming a horizontal trellis 
work.” If the plants bear very heavily, it is often necessary to 
remove a number of the fruits when quite young, so as to allow 
the others to attain their full size. Though the tomato can be 
raised from locally saved seed, it generally deteriotates, and, 
usually at last the little wild cherry tomato alone is produced. 
There are so many good tomatoes that it is difficult to say 
which is the best for our climate. The round smooth Trophy 
and Acme have, says Mr. Curtis, done as well as any. The 
large Reds and the yellow Plum have also been grown with com- 
plete success. Tomatoes have been cultivated in Singapore by 
the Chinese, but uot to any extent, probably on account of the 
