542 
THE HARDENING WORLD . 
August 17, 1907. 
may be, and use brick rather than wood. 
The cold house is a great hobby of mine. 
I delight to experiment; to test plants 
with a full trial of their endurance, after 
having, of course, duly prepared them for 
it, by through ripening of their wood 
through the summer and autumn. I have 
been astonished time after time to find 
how well these duly prepared plants re¬ 
spond to the hard, severe trial, and how 
hardy they can and do become. 
F. Norfolk. 
-- 
The Tomato. 
How to Propagate 
. . . and Grow it. 
The Tomato was formerly known as the 
Love Apple, and grown more as an orna- 
Yient than for culinary purposes. It is 
dassed as a vegetable, but it is the fruit 
that is eaten. Its cultivation has in¬ 
creased rapidly in this country lately, 
though vast quantities are still imported 
from the Channel Isles, and elsewhere, 
but they are inferior in flavour to our 
home-grown Tomatos, having to be 
picked for importation before they are 
ripe. 
In order to have fruit here in the winter 
the seeds should be sown about July, and 
the plants kept out-of-doors until the 
fruit has set; they should then be taken 
inside to ripen. Tomatos will not do suc¬ 
cessfully without a sufficient amount of 
sun. 
They may be propagated by two 
methods, viz., from cuttings and from 
seeds. 
Plants raised from cuttings flower more 
freely, fruit earlier, and are shorter 
jointed than those raised from seed. They 
are, however, apt to develop any disease 
that the old plants may have had. 
Plants raised from seed are less sub¬ 
ject to disease and more vigorous in 
growth. 
The seed should be sown thinly in 
boxes, and transplanted into 60 size pots, 
or 50 size, as is most convenient. Those 
who have not the convenience to raise 
their own plants should buy strong plants 
about the end of May. For plants to be 
grown outside, the seeds should be sown 
during the latter part of February and 
planted out about the first week in June. 
It is not advisable to plant in a very 
rich soil. A good solid loam is best. 
Wood ashes and lime rubble may be 
added if the soil is heavy. Artificial 
manure may be added if the soil is poor. 
The border should be made firm so as to 
check too luxuriant a leaf growth. 
There are two methods of growing in¬ 
doors, namely, in large pots or boxes, or 
in prepared borders. When grown in pots 
they fruit early, and produce little leaf 
growth, but require great attention with 
regard to watering. They are best grown 
in borders. Plant from 12 to 14 inches 
apart, and a double row may be grown 
on either side of the house. 
Growing with a single stem is undoubt¬ 
edly the best method. Pinch out the side 
shoots as they appear, but do not pinch 
off the flowers too. They should not be 
stopped until the maximum height is 
reached. The flowers should be fertilised 
witk a rabbit’s tail tied to a cane. Do not 
pinch off the leaves with the idea of ripen¬ 
ing the fruit sooner, as by so doing the 
stem drys up and the fruit takes longer to 
ripen. Diseased leaves or leaves at the 
base of the plant may be removed; also 
a few where they are over thick. 
The addition of organic matter in the soil 
tends to increase leaf growth. Do not add 
artificial fertilisers until the fruit has set. 
Liquid manure will also do good then. 
The foliage turning yellowish is often due 
to lack of nitrogen or weakness at the 
root. Superphosphate and sulphate of 
potash may be applied at the rate of 
2 ozs. to the square yard. Mix equal 
parts of each. Phosphates produce bloom 
more freely. 
The insect pests to which Tomatos are 
subject include snow fly (Aleyrodes 
vaporariorum). The mature insect may 
be exterminated by fumigation, but not 
the egg. It is necessary to fumigate five 
or six times at intervals of from seven to 
ten days so as to kill the insects as soon 
as they are hatched. Eel worm attacks 
the roots of the Tomato, and intercepts 
the flow of sap to the foliage. It may be 
destroyed by roasting the soil before using 
it. 
The fungoid diseases are as follows: 
Cladosporium fulvum, which causes 
- Q, W. - 
Prize Competitions. 
CENERAL CONDITIONS.— Competitors must 
write on one side of the paper only. Regular 
paid contributors to THE GARDENING 
WORLD or other gardening journals are de¬ 
barred from entering, but occasional con¬ 
tributors may compete. The name and ad¬ 
dress of the competitor must appear on each 
article sent for competition. The Editor’s 
decision is final, and he reserves the right 
to reproduce, in any way;! any article or photo¬ 
graph sent, for competition. The conditions 
applying to each competition should be care¬ 
fully read. 
WEEKLY 
PRIZES. 
A PRIZE OFTEN SHILLINGS will be given 
for the best paragraph or short article on any 
gardening subject, such as hints of practical 
interest to gardeners, notes on the propaga¬ 
tion or cultivation of flowers, fruits or vege¬ 
tables, eradication of pests, etc. The para¬ 
graph or article must not exceed a column, but 
value rather than length will be considered in 
making f he award. Mark envelopes “ Oom- 
petitiin,” and post not later than the Monday 
follr wing date of issue. Entries received later 
th in Tuesday (first post) will be left over until 
the following week. 
Two prizes of 2s. 6d. will be awarded each 
week for the two best letters, not exceeding 
150 words, on any interesting gardening sub¬ 
ject. 
RESULTS OF 
LAST WEEK’S 
COMPETITIONS. 
Some of the best papers in this competition 
are too long, and we desire readers to keep 
within a column. 
The prize in the Readers’ Competition was 
awarded to “M.V.B.” for the article on 
“Decorated Walls,” page 029. 
In the Prize Letter Competition a prize 
was awarded to “ Amateur Lady Gardener ” 
for the article on “Ants in Gardens” ; and 
another to “ Geo. A. Fisher ” for the article on 
“An Easily-made Layering Pin,” page 530. 
yellowish spots on the upper sides of the 
leaves, and in course of time envelopes 
the leaves and prevents respiration. It is 
most prevalent in a close damp atmo¬ 
sphere. Syringe with potassium sulphide, 
y 2 oz. to two gallons of water. Bordeaux 
mixture may also be used. 
Phytophthora infestans affects the fruit, 
forming black patches. The plants 
should be syringed with Bordeaux mix¬ 
ture. In the sleepy disease (Fusarium 
Lycopersici) the leaves droop. As soon as 
seen the plants should be pulled up, and 
burnt. If a cut is made through the stem 
a dark ring of cells will be seen. 
F. W. 
-- 
Cucumbers and Melons. 
Culture in Frames. 
These plants should now be given their 
full summer liberal treatment. Both 
should be finally soiled in such manner 
as to fill in the whole surface of each bed 
between the base of the plants and the 
sides of the frames, but always so that the 
base of each plant and the soil under it 
is a few inches higher than the outsides, 
also double the depth. Tread the soil 
firmly against the frames. Before giving 
this final earthing the surface manure 
of the bed not covered with soil should 
be forked up, shaken apart, and replaced. 
Avoid overcropping Cucumbers, or per¬ 
mitting too many fruits upon any plant 
at one time. 
The Melons must be got to set each 
plant and each frame full. All their 
fruit should be set about the same time, 
and this is done by stopping all the main 
shoots at the same date. Do not shade 
either. Give air betimes each morning, a 
little at first, gradually increasing it as 
the sun gains power, thereby to ensure a 
warmth of 75 deg. or 80 deg. for maxi¬ 
mum. Sprinkle the plants about 4 p.m. 
on sunny afternoons, then shut the sashes 
down quite close (except when Melons 
have expanded female blooms). Never 
moisten the main stems of Melons at the 
part where they rise out of the ground, 
as they are liable to contract canker. On 
one certain day in each week remove each 
sash in succession. Stop young shoots 
when necessary. ' Remove tendrils, and 
pick them over, then give them effectual 
root waterings with tepid water. 
A. V. P.4RRATT. 
- ++4 - 
A Legend of the Banana. 
Many traditions centre about a fruit 
which men, at all events, in the old world, 
have valued since the dawn of history. 
According to one legend it was this which 
proved so fatal to Adam and Eve. 
Gerarde, in his “Herball,” tells us that 
“ Grecians and Christians which inhabit 
Syria, and the Jews also, suppose it to be 
that tree of whose fruit Adam did taste." 
He calls it Adam’s apple, and observes, 1 
“If it be cut according to the length 
oblique, transverse, or any other way 
whatsoever, then may be seen the shape 
and form of a crosse with a man fastened 
thereto. Myself have seen the fruit, and 
cut it in pieces : the crosse I might per¬ 
ceive, like as the forme of a spread-eagle 
in the root of feme, but the man I leave 
to be sought for by those which have bet-^ 
ter eies and judgement than my selfe.” 
