THE TOMATO PLANT.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3395, 8 November 1879, Page 4

THE TOMATO PLANT.

There are several vaiities of this plant, and all, I bolieve natives of South America. "They differ both in shape, size, and colour, fruit being yellow, red, white, and cream- coloured, according to the Tariety. Mammoth red, large red, and the yellow sorts are commonly sown, and seed can be had in Auckland. With proper culture, in a warm and sheltered place, and on rich, light soil the tomato is a prodigious bearer. In Waikato, last summer, I saw some fine crops. When it is remembered for what; different purposes this fruit can be utilized, how it can be Btewed, pickled, made into sauce, preserves, or ketchup, it is worthy the attention of those who have time to devote to its cultivation. To raise early plants it is usual to sow seed in a hot-bed ; but for ordinary culture, it may be sown this month and next iv a well-pre-pared bed. The seed should be sown thin, and not buried too deep. As the seed comes up the plants should be thinned out, so as to leave them far enough apart to transplant readily, which work should be done in moist weather, care being taken not to break the roots. The plants are placed at distances of from three to fire feet npart, and it is a good plan to train them along a trellis in such a way that the branches will be regularly distributed. Left without any support a goo-i deal of the fruit is apt to get spoiled, and cannot ripen as if trained along a fence or trellis, or supported by stakes. The training may commence when the branches are a foot long, and it may be continued throughout their growth. Ttie fruit should be gathered as it ripens. The following account of a tomato farm will show what is done in in America in the culture of this plant:—"J. M. Lewis, of King William county, Va., writes to the Southern Planter that he plants his toma'o 'seed in February in hot-beds, made of rich earth. He seldom waters, as they will stand drought better and bear transplanting more successfully if not so succulent. The early plants are set out in five-foot squares, from the 20th April to the Ist of May, each square) receiving a good supply of manure. For a late crop the seeds are planted in these squares, furrows being rim five feet apart each way. 'The yield is an average of a peck to the hill. The greatest enemy to the plant is the tobneco worm, but Mr Lewis grows largo droves of turkeys, which act aa scavengers in this respect. Ho is preparing next spring to plant 700 acres in tomatos, and has now seed provided in hot-bed scovered by 600 sashes, containing 17,000 panes of 8 by ]0 glass.—-Herald-