The Bulletin. 37 



soutk or southeast it will generally mean a few days of fancy prices in 

 early markets. The land should be well drained. Where the tomatoes 

 are not wanted particularly early, the selection of "quick" soils is not 

 so important. However, owing to the better drainage and the greater 

 ease with which high tillage can be maintained, light or sandy soils 

 are usually preferable for all tomato crops regardless of the purpose for 

 which they are grown. 



One of the foremost requisites for the production of a heavy crop of 

 tomatoes is thorough preparation of the soil. The pulverization should 

 be deep and thorough. Every going over of the land economically done 

 that puts the soil in better condition usually more than pays for itself 

 in the increase in yield of first-class fruit. Cultivation should begin 

 immediately after planting, so that the moisture will not be lost from 

 the soil. It is well to make the first cultivation rather deep to coun- 

 teract the compacting effect caused by walking over the soft ground in 

 setting the plants. It is practically impossible to give too much cultiva- 

 tion to tomatoes during the first month, provided it is not done when 

 the soil is wet. If the plants are set so that cultivation can be carried 

 on only in one direction, hand hoeing will be necessary. 



Tomatoes are not particularly gross feeders, but they demand special 

 care relative to the kind and manner of applying fertilizers and manures. 

 If manure is judicially applied, it is hardly likely that too much will 

 be used, but, if it is carelessly and thoughtlessly applied it may prove 

 worse than useless. If stable manure is used — and there is no reason 

 why it should not be — it should be put on previous crops or broadcast 

 on the land and worked in the fall or winter before planting. Stable 

 manure and commercial fertilizer will usually give better results than 

 fertilizer alone. The commercial fertilizer is applied in the furrows 

 and mixed with the soil a week or so before the plants are to be set to 

 the field. Ordinarily a fertilizer of about the following analysis is 

 recommended : 



Phosphoric Acid 7 per cent 



Mtrogen 4 per cent 



Potash 8 per cent 



Potash applied in the form cf wood ashes gives excellent results. 

 A light application of nitrate of soda about the plants two or three 

 weeks after setting is of decided advantage in starting them into vigor- 

 ous growth. 



At picking season the field should be gone over two or three times a 

 week, so that the fruit is gotten in good shipping condition before it 

 becomes ripe and soft. Handle the fruit without bruising. For long 

 shipments wrap each specimen in paper and pack firmly in six-basket 

 carriers. For local markets they may be packed unwrapped in baskets. 



Varieties. — There are almost any number of varieties listed in the 

 seed catalogues. Tomatoes are so easily bred to better types and also 



