HOUSE AND GARDEN 
M A Y, 
1912 
T he finest and most durableroofing 
in the world is cement-asbestos 
shingles when properly made and 
homogeneous. Ask for Asbestos “Cen¬ 
tury” Shingles by name. 
The reinforcing asbestos fibers are 
evenly distributed through the cement. 
Not a weak spot anywhere to break 
down under fire or weather. 
Write us for booklet “Roofing: A Prac¬ 
tical Talk.” 
KEASBEY & MATTISON CO., Factors 
Dept. C, Ambler, Fa. 
Branch OBlces In Principal Cities of the 
United States. 
Landscape Gardening 
A course for Homemakers and 
Gardeners taught by Prof. Craig 
and Prof. Beal of Cornell Uni¬ 
versity. 
Gardeners who understand up- 
to-date methods and practice are 
in demand for the best positions. 
A knowledge of Landscape 
Gardening is indispensable to 
those who would have the pleas¬ 
antest homes. 
250 page Catalog free. Write to-day. 
THE BONE CORRESPONDENCE SCHOOL 
Dept. 226, Springfield, Mass. 
The Hammock That’s Made to Last 
When you buy a bed hammock for your veranda this summer, 
be sure it is sightly and comfortable, but above all be sure that it is 
made to last. Cheap imitations soon look dilapidated and unat¬ 
tractive, because they lack the material and skill in making so 
necessary to service and lasting comfort. 
Rowe Gloucester Bed Hammock is made by skilled sailmakers 
who are trained to sew canvas sails strong and true for every wind that 
sweeps the Atlantic. It is made of duck weighing not less than 21 
ounces to the square yard, reinforced at every point of strain—others 
use 16-oz,, 12-oz. and even8-oz. duck single thickness. 
Rowe’s Hammocks have consistently given ten years of contin¬ 
uous outdoor service. We have never had one returned to us as un¬ 
satisfactory. They are firm, strong, comfortable. They present essen¬ 
tial advantages of which other makers have not even learned the need. 
Write for catalog and name of dealer nearest you. If you are not 
so located as to deal conveniently with the dealer, we will supply 
you direct. Before you buy a hammock, be sure to see ours or send 
for illustrated book and prices. 
E. L. ROWE & SON, Inc. 
Sal! Makers and Ship Chandlers 
145 Duncan St., Gloucester, Mass. 
The Evolution of the Tomato 
{Continued from page 26) 
nature again asserted her evolutionary 
tendencies and produced a hybrid which, 
while maintaining the large size of a 
standard fruit, was decidedly elongated 
from stem to blossom end. Intelligent 
human effort has “fixed'’ this character¬ 
istic so that now we may enjoy those beau¬ 
tiful “Globe” tomatoes which the sunny 
South produces for us in great quantities 
during the winter months. 
One fact is especially noteworthy in 
connection with the evolution of the to¬ 
mato after mankind took hold of the prob¬ 
lem, and that is : all the splendid modern 
types of this important fruit are due pri¬ 
marily to nature’s initiative. Really seri¬ 
ous efforts of breeders in crossing and 
hybridizing different sorts have often 
failed to accomplish in a decade what na¬ 
ture has frequently done in one season. 
A single plant bearing improved purple 
fruit would sometimes be found in a field 
of bright red tomatoes. This plant the 
grower calls a “sport.” “Chance product 
of nature” is a more comprehensive term, 
explaining the true reason of the occur¬ 
rence. Now man’s mission starts. 
Trained eyes will discover such seedlings; 
trained minds will compare them with al¬ 
ready existing sorts. If the new seedling 
shows any unique characteristics whatever 
or reveals other qualities which cause the 
breeder to be hopeful, prompt action is 
taken and the seedling is separated widely 
from all other kinds the following season. 
Thus started the history of most modern 
tomatoes. Selection and intensive culti¬ 
vation have made this vegetable what it is 
to-day. Nature has done the evolving, 
man has done the coaxing—for intensive 
cultivation is nothing but urging nature 
to do its best under the most favorable 
conditions. 
Take a small fruited tomato and set 
plants of it on a rich piece of ground. In 
a favorable season, the fruits will grow 
larger there than in poor soil. Raise 
plants from seeds saved from these fruits 
and repeat this experiment for a number 
of years. Then the tendency in the plant 
to produce larger fruits will become a 
fixed habit — you have an improved type 
of the old variety. To accomplish this 
with sorts already well established is com¬ 
paratively easy and requires nothing but 
watchful intelligence and patience. When 
it comes to chance seedlings of nature, 
different problems will confront the ex¬ 
perimenter. The very fact that the parent 
fruit was a sport, causes all its offspring 
to be of a sportive character. As many as 
a dozen different kinds, considering color, 
size and shape may be found among the 
offspring of one sport tomato. When 
Luther Burbank stated that often he was 
obliged to destroy hundreds of thousands 
of seedlings in order to perpetuate the de¬ 
sirable characteristics of a few, he uttered 
a hard, but most important truth. To 
keep blood straight in plant strains is the 
steady nightmare of the breeder and often, 
WATER LILIES 
Plant now hardy varieties to bloom 
this summer, in tubs, pools, fountains, 
basins, etc. 
SPECIAL OFFER 
of six standard hybrid named varieties 
for tub culture including white, pink, 
yellow, red, deep pink and crimson, 
free by mail for $4.00. 
WILLIAM THICKER 
Water Lily Specialist 
ARLINGTON, N. J. 
ARTISTIC BRICKWORK 
(Interior and Exterior) 
FIRE PLACES 
Designed and Constructed 
Building, remodelling, repairing and general ma.sonry 
work in any locality within 100 miles radius of N. Y. 
WM. A. BURR & CO. 
Masonry Contractors 
600 W. noth St., cor, B’way, New York City 
Just a turn of 
this little c 
opens or closes^ 
your shutters 
The Mallory Shutter Worker 
opens or closes your shutters from the 
inside without raising the windows; 
securely locks them when closed. Com¬ 
pactly made, neatly and attractively 
finished to suit your woodwork. Any 
carpenter can put them in place. If 
your dealer hasn’t them, send for il¬ 
lustrations and price list to 
Mallory Manufacturing Co^ 
255 Main Street, Flemington, N. J., U. S. A. 
In zvriting to advertisers please nioition House and Garden. 
