Giant Tomato. Hov. Mag.
Mammoth.
An improved variety of the Common Large Red, attaining a much larger size. Fruit comparatively solid, bright-red, sometimes smooth, but generally ribbed, and often exceedingly irregular; some of the larger specimens seemingly composed of two or more united together. The fruit is frequently produced in masses or large clusters, which clasp about the stem, and rest so closely in the axils of the branches as to admit of being detached only by the rending asunder of the fruit itself; flesh pale-pink, and well flavored.
Like most of the other varieties, the amount of product is in a great degree dependent on soil, culture, and season. Under favorable conditions, twenty-five pounds to a single plant is not an unusual yield; single specimens of the fruit sometimes weighing four and even five or six pounds.
The Giant Tomato is not early, and, for the garden, perhaps not superior to many other kinds; but for field-culture, for market, for making catchup in quantities, or for the use of pickle-warehouses, it is recommended as one of the best of all the sorts now cultivated.
Grape or Cluster Tomato.
Solanum sp.
This variety, or more properly species, differs essentially in the character of its foliage, and manner of fructification, from the Garden Tomato. The leaves are much smoother, thinner in texture, and have little of the musky odor peculiar to the Common Tomato-plant. The fruit is nearly globular, quite small, about half an inch in diameter, of a bright-scarlet color, and produced in leafless, simple, or compound clusters, six or eight inches in length, containing from twenty to sixty berries, or tomatoes; the whole having an appearance not unlike a large cluster, or bunch of currants.
The plants usually grow about three feet in height or length; and, in cultivation, should be treated in all respects like those of other varieties. Flowers yellow, and comparatively small. Early.
Though quite ornamental, it is of little value in domestic economy, on account of its diminutive size.