l6 BULLETIN 78. 
worth more than many times the same amount put in and 
tended in a haphazard way. 
VARIETIES. 
During the season of 1901 the writer had under trial 
or observation with different growers the following varie¬ 
ties: Magnus, Success, Burpee’s Combination, Enor¬ 
mous, New Large Early, Eordhook First, Fordhook 
Fancy, Quarter Century, Acme, Tall Queen, Ruby, Dwarf 
Champion, Kansas Standard, Perfection, Matchless, 
Truckers’ Favorite and Beauty. Of this list there are 
but few that seem to have any merit for this country. 
For canning purposes, where it is necessary to combine 
earliness, appearance, quality and productiveness, the 
Beauty easily takes the lead. The factories recommend 
this variety. It is also a splendid shipper. The Acme is 
a little earlier and for early shipping to markets may be 
preferred to the Beauty. The Fordhook First is also a 
good early shipper. During the past season there was 
much loss occasioned by the failure of plants to bear fruit 
typical of the Beauty. It was a great disappointment to 
have the yield so materially reduced and it was a source 
of loss both to canner and grower. Seed selection has 
never been given proper attention by the growers and it 
is one reason why success is not oftener obtained. The 
tomato is one of the most variable and inconstant of gar¬ 
den plants. Authorities say that varieties of tomatoes as 
a rule are short lived and that ten years may be consider¬ 
ed the profitable life of a variety. Many of us are aware 
that old standard sorts are now extinct. 
To illustrate this I wish to quote from Bulletin 32, 
Bailey & Lodeman, (October 1891) of the New York Ex¬ 
periment station, under the heading of “Do varieties of 
tomatoes run out,” it has the following: 
“For some years it has been apparent to the writer that varie¬ 
ties of tomatoes run out or lose their distinguishing characters. The 
reasons for this loss of varietal character are not necessary now to 
discuss. Crossing, no doubt hastens it in many cases. But it is 
well to state that running out does not mean deterioration simply, but 
disappearance of characters by whatever cause. Studies of this 
question were made this year by growing the same variety from 
many seedmen. This gave us an opportunity to determine if the 
variety had varied greatly in the course of its history, or if all seed- 
men really sold the same thing under a given name. In order to de¬ 
termine how long a variety may persist, we selected Grant and Cana¬ 
da Victor, which are old varieties; and to find how soon a variety 
may depart from its type we grew the Ignotum.” 
“Grant was obtained from seven seedsmen,—all who catalogued 
it. Of these seven samples, but two were true Grant as the variety 
was recognized years ago. The remaining five samples grew fruits 
