Tama County Republican. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1867-1872, 1871-04-13
The Tomato and Its Culture.
BY
J. PAYNE LOWE,
LITTLE FALLS, NEw JERsEr.
RI. o. Bsx 3242, Nsw York;

THIS delicious, del,cately acid, cool
ing, healthful, and now almost iudis-
pensable fruit, whose hygienic quail
ties have been tested by the human
system (that most perfect Of iabora.
tories,) is, by careful culture, being
brought to perfection; and instead OF
coarse, unslghtly, spongy, seedy, Ill
favored tomatoes, the desirable quail
tiles of earliness, productiveness, size,
solidlty, fewness Of seeds, cvenness
of form, richness Of flavor, and beau
" Of color may be secured.
HOW TO START THE PLANTS.
For family use to get early fruit,
sow seed from the earliest ripened
fruit Tin little box containing 3 or 4
inches of rich soil IN the neighbor-
hood of New York, any time from
the beginning OF March till the open
ing of Spring, and tor late crop SOW
when the Spring opens, in the open
ground; plants from the latter will
fruit till frost comes, and longer it
protected. Place the little box near
a window where the sun can shine
on It, in q warm room, OF even tom.
perature. Water with tepid water)
once day. let the plants have light
and sunshine, ana all the fresh. air they
can stand. Ill-grown plants, crowd.
ed to suffocation. such as are seen in
most dealers hotbcds, have little
value. ss's
TRANspLANTING
When the rough leaves como, trans
plant into pots. or box, and do 81
three or four times, till open ground
culture. Water freely each time be.
fore transplantlng, so that ball OF
earth may be removed with each
plant.
OPEN GROUND CULTURE.
Do not plant in the open ground,
unless the plants are protected, till all
danger of frost is over. They will
flourish III a rather light than heavy,
and rich, but no: over rich soil. Hoe
early and often. Let no weeds grow.
Keep the soil friablc. sa-s.s
PRUNING.
The advantages Of pruning have
been questioned, but my tomatoes
grow best when well pruned. Cut
out all suckers, and non bearing
branches. Let in light, air and sun.
shine. Most Of the fruit grows on
the lower part OF the vlnes, and there
will be no loss by shortening them !;
for nutrition will then dow to fruit
Instead Of making fibre.
SUPPORTING THE vINEs--KEEPrN0
THE FRUIT CLEAN-rRAINING.
It IS sometimes thought we'll, in
garden culture, to support the vines
by brush or other refuse material, or
by training, which may be done by
setting poles 10 feet apart, the tops
five feet out OF the ground. Attach
wires to them horizontally. Thus
the fruit may be exposed to the tree
action Of sun and air. ssss
VARIETIES.
After having tried the popular VI
rieties, l grow only Testers Perfect
Cd Tomato, and rs much mired and
spurious seed has been sold under that
name, thus misreprcscntlng the fruit,
and the gentleman who introduced il
Mr.. Lester grew and gave me few
plants from genuine seed SO that tins
valuable fruit should not be lost or
misrepresented. Most of the seed
saved has been sold at twenty-five
cents small package, and a. / have
not enough to make = business OF it
though farming for profit as we'll
IS pleasnre-it is hoped l will not be
considered as giving undue impor.
lance to tho variety spoken Of.