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Soil .—Where earliness is aimed at the best soil for the tomato 
is a light, sandy loam ; the ground should not be too rich, or an over, 
luxuriant growth of plant will be the result to the detriment of earli¬ 
ness. A shovel full of well-rotted barn-yard manure thoroughly 
incorporated with the soil where the plants are to be set will increase 
their productiveness and hasten maturity. There seems to be an 
advantage in not manuring the whole surface when earliness is de¬ 
sired. If only a space of 10 or 12 inches is fertilized around the 
plant, this will be sufficient to sti/nulate plant growth until the fruit 
begins to ripen, after which we do not wish the plant to increase in 
size but bend all its energies toward ripening its fruit. Should the 
ground be manured broadcast the growth will continue much 
longer. 
Varieties Grown in 1S9S .—Seed of 15 varieties was sown on 
March 14th in flats in the forcing-house. The young plants made 
their appearance in from 0 to 11 days from time of seeding. When 
three or four inches high they were transplanted to 4-inch pots, in 
which they were allowed to grow until set in the open ground. On 
June (3th, 12 plants of each variety, excepting Royal Red, of which 
there were 24, were set m the garden in rows 4x5 feet. Clean cult¬ 
ure was given throughout the season. Water was applied four 
different times as follows: June 15th, July 3rd and 17th, and 
August 8th. Cultivation should cease and water should be withheld 
after fruit begins to ripen, as further stirring of the soil and the ap¬ 
plication of water would induce plant growth and thus retard the 
maturity of fruit, 
VARIETIES. 
Aristocrat .—A dwarf variety, more erect than the Dwarf Cham¬ 
pion, a strong, stocky grower, early—the first fruits being picked 
August 15th. It possesses the advantage of ripening its fruit 
rapidly, a desirable feature in a market variety. Fruit medium 
size, smooth and solid, of a beautiful scarlet color. It greatlv exceeds 
Dwarf Champion in productiveness, but falls considerablv below some 
other varieties, such as Puritan, Ignotum, and Table Queen. 
Buckeye State. Plant vigorous in growth, fruit large, fairly 
smooth, in color resembling the Mikado or Turner Hybrid. The 
3 j owe\ er, can not be recommended because the fruit ripens 
slowly and is not solid. 
Gold Ball .—A rank-growing variety, very productive for a 
tomato of its class;, fruit small, oval, smooth, a beautiful golden yel¬ 
low, firm, and solid ; fine for preserving or pickling. Its size, shape, 
and color are against it as a market variety. 
^ ^Ignotum .—Originated at the Michigan Agricultural College in 
1887, introduced in 1889. A strong, healthy grower possessing 
many points of excellence; fruit ripens medium early, is large, 
regular in shape, solid and remarkably smooth, of a bright scarlet 
