I have tried to give the nature and requirements of the plant and the effect of conditions as seen in my own experience, a knowledge of which may enable the reader to follow the methods most suited to his own conditions and requirements, rather than to recommend the exact methods which have given me the best results. WILL W. TRACY. _Washington, April, 1907._ CONTENTS PAGE PREFACE v CHAPTER I BOTANY OF THE TOMATO 1 CHAPTER II HISTORY 14 CHAPTER III GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE PLANT 20 CHAPTER IV ESSENTIALS FOR DEVELOPMENT 28 CHAPTER V SELECTION OF SOIL FOR MAXIMUM CROP 33 CHAPTER VI EXPOSURE AND LOCATION 38 CHAPTER VII FERTILIZERS 43 CHAPTER VIII PREPARATION OF THE SOIL 46 CHAPTER IX HOTBEDS AND COLD-FRAMES 51 CHAPTER X STARTING PLANTS 59 CHAPTER XI PROPER DISTANCE FOR PLANTING 68 CHAPTER XII CULTIVATION 76 CHAPTER XIII STAKING, TRAINING AND PRUNING 79 CHAPTER XIV RIPENING, GATHERING, HANDLING AND MARKETING 90 THE FRUIT CHAPTER XV ADAPTATION OF VARIETIES 97 CHAPTER XVI SEED BREEDING AND GROWING 112 CHAPTER XVII PRODUCTION FOR CANNING 117 CHAPTER XVIII COST OF PRODUCTION 121 CHAPTER XIX INSECTS INJURIOUS TO THE TOMATO 123 CHAPTER XX TOMATO DISEASES 131 INDEX 148 ILLUSTRATIONS FIGURE PAGE 1. Where new varieties of tomatoes are developed and tested _Frontispiece_ 2. Tomato flowers 2 3. Two-celled tomato 3 4. Three-celled tomato 3 5. Currant tomato and characteristic clusters 5 6. Red cherry tomato 6 7. Pear-shaped tomato 8 8. Yellow plum tomato 9 9. One of the first illustrations of the tomato 11 10. An early illustration of the tomato 12 11. Typical bunch of modern tomatoes 27 12. Tomatoes trained to stakes in the South 35 13. Three-sash hotbed 52 14. Cross-section of hotbed 53 15. Cold-frames on hill-side 54