The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1868-03-20
From the American Agricultural ]
~omatoes-Keyes' and Others.

AVmotV0s- 0eySs ooo VsASs
The tomato is so important a veg
ctable. and the comparative earliness
OF the varieties is 90 important, espe.
call; to those who cultivate it for
sale, that we feel no apology is needed
for giving so much space to it. In
the controversy now going on concern
ing the varieties-the Reyes especial
ly-we have endeavorcd to give both
SIDE a iair hearing, and now give op'
posite results; obtained by two different
~cultivators. 1t should be borne in
mind that last season was, at the East,
very uufavorable to tue tomato, and
while it il not right to come to Q con.
clusion from the experience OF q single
season, it is still less fair to allow the
results OF all adverse one to decide
the matter. u. t." Paterson, n.
D.. writee
''The article in the Dec. AgricHl-
turist, entitled Improvement in To
matoes,' it seems to me, does not come
to q correct conclusion in regard to
the quality, earliness, and productive :
ness Of the kinds named. | have
raised tomatoes over fifteen years,
: never lees than three or four kinds,
and oftener twice the NUMBER, and
considered the Early Smooth Red the
earliest, and Valencia Cluster and
Testers Perfected. the best Of later
kinds. Reading Mr.. Gregory's ad.
vertisement in your paper last
winter. | wrote snd obtained
from him with other seeds) some
Early York, (Which he claimed to be
.earliest), and early Tilden seed
Shortly after reading Hovey & Co.'S
.ad vertisement, l wrote and procured
from them a paper Of 'Keyes' Early
Prolific seed, and also procured in
New York, seed Of Early Smooth Red.
Il planted seed OF each, early York,
early Red. Tilden, and keyes'), in
same hot.bed, gave same treatment,
transplanted the plants into cold frame
about the same time, and into open
ground as soon Al warm weather be.
came settled. The Early YORK, Early
/. Red, and TildeH, we're set ont in my
. earliest ground, and some days after.
wards (having bnt few plants, from a
very small paper Of seed, and it be-
ing claimed they were a month ear.
lier) l set out the Reyes plants in my
garden, on lower and later ground, in
order to keep them pure and save
plenty Of seed. The Reyes proved
from one to two weeks earlier than
8 the others, though 10 . less favorable
location. My experience was similar
to that of Mr.. Downing and others
published in your paper some months
ago. The Early YORK CT me next,
then Early Red. then Tilden. My
plants Of the Reyes were very stocKy,
leaves very broad. looking more like
potato than tomato leaves, bore trans
planting we'll and wero very prolific
and continuing to bear, and fall o.
green ones when frost killed the vines
The Keyes' tomato is Of medium size
Of very dark color, more crimson thar
scarlet, solid and of good quality
grows in clusters, which ripen pretty
/, evenly, and color ell over at once no
being ripe below and green arount
the stem, as with come varieties. Th'
only objection | found was their Wig
orous growth and sprawling habit
The stalks, being heavy, soon fcl
to the ground and grew several lee
long, some Of the plants, ! think, Gov
ering . space of over six feet square
Perhaps my low, rich garden groun'
had something to do with it; still, l ar
satisfied they need more room tina
most lindsay rows four feet apar'
and plants three feet apart in the row
Probably twice as many plants Of th
Early York (which is . fine tomat
of Q dwarf habit,) might be plsnte
to the acre. The Reyes tomato
certainly . distinct variety, and frol
one years experience, l think it wo
thy the attention OF all who want earl
tomatoes. The Tilden is also . fiji
tomato, but not very early, in COLI
and quality resembling the valenci
both ripening slowly, and being mo
tart than most other varieties"
On the other hand, Mr.. James Pc