54 The Canadian Horticulturist. 



obtained whenever wanted, the first of March will be soon enough It should 

 be borne in mind that plants grown in a heat of 70 at night, which is increased 

 in the daytime to 80° or 90°, will make more growth in a week than plants kept 

 in an average temperature of 50° will make in four weeks, and the plants, if 

 given plenty of room, will be far more vigorous and healthy. Some growers 

 make a practice of keeping the plants in a temperature of from 40° to 50', in 

 order to harden them before setting them out where they are to fruit. But 

 it should be borne in mind that a tomato plant cannot be hardened so as to 

 improve it in the same way as other plants may. What it needs is a high tem- 

 perature all the time. Half-hardy plants, such as cabbage, cauliflower, celery, 

 etc., can and should be hardened off in a moderately low temperature. But 

 the tomato being a semi-tropical plant, can not be kept in a low temperature 

 without sustaining injury. They catch cold and become sickly and stunted. 



Seed may also be sown in a hot-bed when a greenhouse accommodation is 

 not available, but in this event it should not be sown so early — the first of April 

 will be soon enough. The bed should be got into a heat of 70° or 80° before 

 sowing the seed. Great care should be taken to keep up the heat of the bed, 

 when fermentation begins to cease, by banking the outside of the bed with hot 

 manure. 



Care should be taken to air the plants so as not to chill them and, at the 

 same time, to air them sufficiently to prevent them from being drawn up and 

 becoming long and spindling. As soon as the heat ceases they should be 

 transplanted into another hot bed with good bottom heat, setting them six or 

 eight inches apart each way according to the size of the plants. 



SOWING .SEED. 



As the growing of good plants is absolutely indispensable in order to insure 

 a good crop of tomatoes, I shall be particular to describe the process in detail. 

 Seed should be sown in drills about one foot apart and three-fourths of an inch 

 deep and quite thin. Press the earth down level and quite firmly. As soon as 

 the plants are up and show the first rough leaf, thin them out so they will stand 

 at least two inches apart The plants should be grown rapidly. As they grow 

 spread them out carefully with the hands, one to the right and the next one to 

 the left ; spread them a little every day until they fill the space between the rows. 



I am aware that most growers will say that in following the above directions 

 there is a great waste of room, and that four times as many plants can be grown 

 just as well as not on the same area. And so there can. Even six times as 

 many plants can be grown on the same space. If you wish to transplant them 

 when small, say about three or four inches high, such plants will be well enough 

 and be large enough to prick into small boxes for market, or they may be 

 pricked out in other beds and do well. 



The question then arises, why give so much room ? In reply I would say 



