The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1878-02-21
Tomatoes.
BY A. K. BLUNT.

them prOntaDle or 10 produce tne SmOOtn-
est and largest specimens, depends, list,
on the selection Of seed; Sd, on knowl
edge of the demands of the plant, its
habits and wants; and Sd, on the soil,
plant-food and cultivation, necessary to
perfect the fruit. My method of select
ing seed may not be novel, but it is the
best and safest way to insure genuine and
reliable plants.
l select the largest, smoothest and.
heaviest that ripen earliest from the vine,
when ready to drop off, lay them on
smooth boards in the sun, until fermen-
tation sets in, then wash them clean from
the pulp. The seeds that sink may be-
considered perfected, and can be relied
on for producing fruit like the specimens
saved. l always trim the end vines dSwne
to but one tomato in each cluster of flow
ers, cutting off every sucker stem and
the top. In this way, the whole sub
stance is thrown into about three toma--
toes on each vine. Two years ago, by this,
method raised on six vines twelve speci-
mems that weighed eighteen pounds, the,
largest one reaching rs high as thirty-six
ounces.
Second, on a knowledge of the de-
mands of the plant, its habits and wants.
The plant requires, in its early stages.
rich pabulum, concentrated in we'll pull
verified and moist soil. 1t flourishes.
best, in all seasons, by treating it to fiat
culture. 1t insists on having the hottest
sun-even those rays reflected from the
whitest house-wall. Its peculiar habit
in climbing is to reach out for some
rest on which to bend its joints. 1t will
ran forty feet, if properly trained.
Third, on the soil, pant-food and Guilt
walton. The best soil adapted to this
plant is rich, friable one, put in high
state of cultivation; ed-clay subsoil--
spaded eighteen inches deep, thoroughly
mixed with compost made up of ele-
ments that every garden aud kitchen can
furnish, with droppings of the cow
stalls as a base-is best in this climate
for the tomato. After being thorough
ly pulverized and smoothed, it should
not be stirred at all. Even the crust
formed when the ground is prepared,
should not be broken. If suffering at
any time for water, let it be watered un-
der ground.
In propagating and cultivating, use
the hot bed and coldS'rame. SOW my
hot bed in January, and when the plants
throw out their third set of leaves,
transplant into the cold frame, putting
six inches apart each way. SO soon AS
the trosts disappear, hey are put out
four feet apart each way, and s,aked with
three stakes to each vine, one short and
two six feet long. take up my plants
with an apparatus of my own making.
t. al.
plant; it then takes up the plant with
all the dirt attached to the ro,ts, and
places it in the beds without any water,
to keep it from willing. The plant
grows on without having any knowledge
of its removal. To the short stake | tie
the vine first; and after the cluster of
flowers appears in the first fork, tie the
two stems projecting from it to the two
tall stakes. / now trim off every stem
above the leaf to the first bloom, and top
the plant above the second and third
clusters. Every irregular and Informed
tomato is trimmed off, and thus the sub
stance goes into the best.
For seed, | leave but one tomato to
the cluster on the vine. In thus treating
the tomato have, year after year, taken
over fifteen pounds of nice, smooth Tro-
phys from each vine, and am sure as
much more could be done by giving the
vine another season after the first crop.
White Cliff Agricultural Station.
NEVER throw bones away, but on the
contrary, gather all can find scattered
about, and purchase all l can get, to
manufacture into fertilizer The pro-
cess is simple and inexpensive. Take a
strong, tight barrel, or some large box
constructed for the purpose, and place u
covering in the bottom of about four
inches of unleached ashes; upon this
place II layer of bones as close as they can
be packed together, and then cover with
unleached ashes So as to hide the bones
completely, when another layer of bones
can be placed, and thus alternate ashes
and bones Until the vessel is filled. If
the vessel is very large, water should be
poured in when every four or five layers
are on but with common barrel it is
sufficient to pour in a couple of paituls
when the barrel is full, or better still,
place the vessel out in the yard, where it
will get sufficient moisture from occa-
sional showers. If kept under cover,
water has to be supplied in very small
quantities, sufficient to keep the mass
moist. Leave the vessel thus all winter,
and in the spring it will be found that
the bones are dissolved. empty the
mixture out, and add hen manure for my
onion bed, or decomposei grasses or
weeds, or stable manure, for other vegc-
tables Goderich, Ont.