The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-02-12
THE FARM AND THE GARDEN.
MATTERS OF INTEREST TO AGRI-
CULTURIsT AND HOUSEWIFE.

to this country and especially Is 1t so to
the South.
1t does seem as If the possibilities of
the plant have been exhausted. The veg
etabIe or fruit-call 1t what we may-does
seem to have been perfected There is
no need for improvement unless 1t may
be that a more fruit-iike flavor is
meter of desirable development A fur
thsr development may find some of The
varieties much richer in sugar than ary
now possessed The DEVELOPMENT of the
torneto to its present perfection IS only
matter of some sixty or seventy yeaIs.
Even forty years ago there were very
few Pc, sons who esteemed 1t as n Table
vegetable. To-day there are hundreds Ut
vArieiie catalogued, and sucn variety.
Ia CO or, in flavor and In habit Of growth
What difference is to be obse ved-all
the outcome of the little wild tomato
abnu. the size of a cherry.
In color we have it from almost white
to the very dark crimson-how many
shades 1t would be hard to determine.
There is as much difference in their re-
spectiye flavors as there is in colors. In
habit of growth we have also great vari-
ance starting with the dwarfsh speci-
men of the Dwarf Champion and end
ing with the Mammoth Moore''-the one
requiring almost hundred square feet
for its full development, while the other
is satisfied with a square foot or So In
size of fruit, too what a vast differ
ence! We still have the little cherry va
riety for those who may choose the plant
more for ornament than for utility and be-
tween IL and the ''ponderous" Ponderosa,
what a variety of sizesi
For purposes of utility the practical
grove does not concern aimself with
either extreme, for they are of little value
usually. 1t may be claimed that since the
introduction of the Acme variety there
has been no real improvement in the to-
mato. Certainly there has been but HIT
tie, If any. In size, color, flavor, etc,
il possesses the characteristics of per-
feet tomato. AS it is with other vege-
tables, the Acme must run its course,
run out" as it is termed, and be sup
planted by newer varieties. 1t is the fate
of everything of the kind to gradually
loose It's original characteristics. So to
day the Acme is not so generally culti-
waited as 1t was ten or fifteen years ago.
We have newer varieties that are found
more NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. that do not
rot as badly as 1t does. that ships better
and for this reason other kinds must be
grown, especially by the market garden
er.
How many different named sorts there
are to-day it would be difficult to say, but
they run uD into the thousands. OF
course there are very many synonyms
and the complete list of named sorts,
which would be a job to enumerate, could
be relegated to about a score of distinct
types. The Dwarf Champion is a type;
the Ponderosa is another The Moore is
another of varieties whose distinguishing
characteristics ara their different habit
of growth or size of plant, without refer
ence to qualities Of fruit The Golden
Queen Acme" and "Stone" are types
of color without reference to other quali-
ties. All of our named sorts could be clas-
slfied under their respective types and
many hundreds of unnecessary and con-
fusing names as synonyms thus be
eliminated.
AS may be inferred if every minutiae
of difference is considered 1t will call for
the recognition of a good many types to
which each particular variety must be re-
ferred. Besides color and habit of growth
of the vine there is shape of the fruit and
size of the fruit, manner of setting of
fruit or vine, period of growth, whether
early or late, shape of the leaf, solidity--
all to be considered in any attempt to
make a close and accurate arrangement
of the several types that distinguish this
interesting vegetable.
For practical purposes the trucker or
market gardener demands certain quail
ties; the amateur or fancy gardener re-
CARDS the possession of other qualities as
desirable. The trucker must have a va
rety where the fruit is of good size rlpens
evenly; solid so that it will ship or bear
handling well and furthermore, is produce
tive
In every locality there will be found
certain varieties generally grown by the
gardeners not over or varieties usu-
ally.
This is vege able that permits of every
grower saving his own seed This is not
the case with many vegetables, such as
cabbage, celery, caulifiower, turnips,
beets, etc. The Southern vegetable grower
is aware that 1t is not deslrab BILE to at
tempt to save seed of these biennials,
for they rapidly deteriorate in our South
ern climate and as a rule Northern saved
seed are to be preferred every year 1t may
be that there is a decided difference in
the results in the use of Northern grown
tomato seed every year, but we are not
aware that any experiments have been
made to determine the advantage or dis
advantage of using Northern grown
seeds. We do know that our home saved
seeds have always given satisfaction as
a general thing, but we have never made
any comparative tests in the matter.
The very best tomatoes to-day it would
be hard TO improve and reduced to list
of half dozen may be named as follows:
The Stone the Matchless, the Turner Hy~
brid, the Dwarf Champion, Golden Queen
and Crimson Cushion.
The very early crop and the very late
crop are the most prom ia Bile. There is lit
tie profit in the medium crop. For the
first, plants should be raised in cold
frames, having well-grown stocky plants
ready TO transfer to the open ground the
moment 1t is safe to do so. To insure an
early crop one must take more or less
risk. with a part of it at least. For in
stance, where II is not safe to put out the
main crop. as a rule, before the first OF
April a certain part of the crop should be
set out in March some time. II late
frost kills these the loss will not be great
and It is easy to replant. One should al
ways keep a superabundance Of plants in
reserve for such a crop.
on soil Just suited to growing tomatoes,
which implies a soil rich in the mineral ell
ements of food, II is easily possible to
make 500 bushels to the acre. This ought
10 ha 40 mir oh, es,.fI