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— FOMSTO, 
“Scarlet Mikado” Tomato. Kindly lent by E. and W. Hackett, 
5 -_ Seedsmen and Nurserymen, Rundle Street, Adelaide. 
iy the list of economic horticultural products the Tomato holds an almost unique position. Every year Tomatoes are 
becoming more used for cooking, and is one of the best of salads. The fruit is also used for canning, for sauce and other 
preserves, for all of which there is a very large demand. of 
The seed may be sown this month in rich moist soil, and when the plants are about 3 ins, high they should be trans- 
planted in rows 3 ft. apart each way, but do not give them much water. It is a good plan to put a stake to each plant, for 
then they will fruit better. The soil best snited to the Tomato is a rich sandy loam, with a clay subsoil, and Peruvian 
guano is one of the best fertilisers. Ordinary stable manure is not sufficient, as it does not contain potash, a very necessary 
_ ingredient where fruit is the desideratum. ; ‘ot oo ; ; 
When the flowers appear give very little water, so that the fruits may ect well, otherwise the flowers will drop off. Cut — 
off shoots that do not bear flowers, so as to throw the strength into the young fruit. In growing early Tomatoes it is 
‘necessary to cover up the plants at night. Care should be taken in handling the fruit not to bruise it, or it will decay 
rapidly. In packing for market the fruit should be graded according to size and ripeness, all in each package being as 
“nearly alike as possible. a iE Lage peewee 3 ae ere 
As regards the best varieties to grow, there are so many excellent ones, that we have only space to mention some of the 
leading kinds :—Acme (a well-known favorite), Early Ruby, Harly Jewel, Earliana, Trophy, Mikado (purple), Ponderosa, 
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Matchless, Orimson Cushion, Volunteer, Burwood Prize, President Garfield, Alice Roosevelt, Large Red. een 
The Scarlet Mikado, of which we give an illustration above, is an excellent variety, possessing all the good qualities of 
_ the .well-known “ Mikado”? Tomato, and in addition it is eight to ten days earlier. Its enormous smooth fruits are a 
_-brilliant scarlet. The flesh is thick and contains very few seeds, a very desirable feature in Tomatoes. 
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