OTHER VINES THAT ARE USEFUL 239 
days of winter, when the house is likely tobecome 
hot and stuffy, it is advisable to fertilize by hand. 
Do this however only on bright, sunny days and 
use only flowers that are well open. ‘The method 
is as follows: gather into a spoon or other 
receptacle some pollen from a few flowers, by 
holding the receptacle directly under a flower 
and giving the stem a light tap. When enough is 
gathered, dip into it every flower that has opened 
sufficiently to expose the pistil. The result will 
be fruits, solid, round, and plump; whereas, 
without sufficient pollen, they sometimes set, 
but become hollow and of inferior size. If, when 
the fruit is the proper size for ripening, you 
remove about one third of each leaf adjacent to it 
you will admit more light and hasten the ripening 
process. It is advisable to tie the fruit, else it 
may become so heavy as to break the spur; 
merely support the fruiting spike in the middle 
by tying it with a piece of raffia to the trellis or 
stake. 
The tomato house should be kept at from 60° 
to 65° at night with a rise of seven to ten degrees 
on dull days. On bright days, when the ventila- 
tors are open, the temperature can run up to 90° 
without doing any harm. If the young top growth 
begins to get spindly after the plants have started 
