IN THE whole list of garden vegetables, there is none so susceptible to treatment as the tomato; none better repays good attention; none shows neglect so plainly, both in quantity and quality of fruit. It is, moreover, capable by careful selection of the highest development, and will as quickly deteriorate if the principles of selection are not closely observed and the highest cultivation given it. Although the tomato has been in cultivation for more than three hundred years, it is within the past fifty years that its cultivation as a garden vegetable has become general, and not until within the last twenty years has its importance been fully realized. With the exception of the potato, it is the most extensively grown of any garden vegetable, and like the potato, can be had every day in the year on the table. Of course not fresh from the garden, but from the canner, whose skill in putting up has arrived at that degree of perfection, that for cooking purposes but very little difference between fresh and canned tomatoes is noticeable.

Its importance, both in the vegetable garden and for commercial purposes, is so great that every effort known in the gardening art has been employed in the production of new varieties. That, during the last fifty years the species has been greatly improved, there is not a question. But that there has been any great improvement during the last twenty years is a disputed point. It is true that among the new varieties annually sent out there seems to be, either in form, productiveness, earliness or keeping qualities, some progress made. At the same time, have we any varieties better than the Early Smooth Red, the Trophy or the Excelsior of twenty years ago ? And if so, will we be able to keep them ?

These are important considerations; upon them depends all there is of importance in the growing of tomatoes for seed purposes. It is therefore necessary to study carefully the origin of new varieties, and how to perpetuate them.

All the varieties under cultivation have their origin in L. esculentum, of which but little is known, other than that it was introduced into Europe from South America in 1596. That there were different varieties at that early date is quite likely, although we have no mention of them, other than that there were "the common large red love apple, the yellow love apple and the smaller love apple." However this may be, certain it is that all our new varieties are descendents from these, either by seedlings, or, as it is claimed in the case of the Ignotum, as a "sport".

It matters little how any given variety originated, other than to show how types can be secured and retained. It is a general impression that the varieties have a natural tendency to deterioration, and that new ones must be produced from seed to replace them. To this grave error let us reply, by saying that varieties do not run out, provided proper care is taken to keep them up.

The writer saw the operations of one of the largest tomato seed growers in our country, last year. In a field of ten or more acres, there was not a single plant of which the fruit should have been saved for seed purposes. Everything had a starved appearance, a fact the grower acknowledged, as he got more seed on poor than on rich soil. There was no care whatever in selection ; ripe and unripe fruit was put into the crusher, and the seed all saved. He admitted this was no way to grow and save seeds, "but," he asked, "what could I do, for the price ?" The price was not more than half what it actually costs to produce good seed. In this case, and it is a rule that will apply to all others, competition was the parent of deterioration.

On the other hand, the finest crop of tomatoes I ever saw growing, without regard to variety, was of the Trophy, and that only last season, which was generally considered the most unfavorable for the tomato that we have had for many years. The grower of these, a man of rare intelligence, bought the seed from Mr. Waring the first year he sent it out, and he has not grown any other since, but has each year carefully selected the best for seed purposes. The result is an improvement. The fruits are more even in shape and size ; they ripen up to the stem perfectly, and what is more important, they ripen to the center, producing but little seed. A fault with this variety when first introduced was that the center was hard and unpalatable. The same care this grower gave this variety will improve any other, if the same is grown under favorable conditions. If on a very heavy clay or in very light sandy soil, an improvement in the tomato is impossible.

Another experiment or case noted was with the Acme, one of the best for the table, although its color is not a favorite one with the market gardener. A practical florist has grown this variety alone since its introduction, and has taken special care in selecting his fruits for seed. The crop of last year on about twenty plants was marvellous. Four of the tomatoes, not above the average in size, weighed four pounds; and this strain ripens perfectly, and is free from rot or cracking, to which the Acme is liable.