The Canadian Horticulturist. 125 



TOMATO CULTURE. 



CHAPTER VI. 



Growing Plants for Main Crop. 



Seed for main crop may be sown from two to five weeks later than the first 

 early. Usually the largest quantity will be soon enough, sown the first week in 

 April. At this season they can be aired more and may be sown somewhat 

 thicker, but care must be taken not to sow too thickly. If they come up too 

 thickly, thin them out with a bold hand : always bearing in mind that one good 

 plant is worth more than two or three poor, drawn ones, and will yield more 

 profit. This lot of plants may be treated the same as the first early ones, only 

 they may be planted out of the boxes directly into the open ground where they 

 arc to fruit. The boxes and pans that have been emptied when filling the 

 forcing frames can be filled again out of this lot of plants. 



If many plants are wani^ed for main crop several sowings of seed should be 

 made up to the tenth of April. Out of the plants grown from seed sown in 

 April, cold frames are to be filled. The frames may be prepared the same as 

 those for the earlier plants except that they may be placed as close together as 

 it will be convenient to work the glass, and no manure used. The objection to 

 the use of manure is, that it causes the earth around the roots of the plants to 

 crumble off when the plants are to be lifted ; and also when the roots of the 

 plants strike a lump of manure the plant does not start readily. 



The south board of the frame should be only ten inches wide; the soil 

 should be very fine, all small stones or rubbish of every kind should be carefully 

 raked out. The soil should then be packed down pretty solid. These beds 

 should be prepared only when the soil is dry and in good working order. Take 

 good strong plants out of the seed beds and dibble them in up to the seed leaf, 

 eight inches apart each way. 



Water moderately and cover close with sash as fast as planted, keep them 

 close for about two days, until the plants are well started. If the sun is bright do 

 not open them but shade the beds sufficiently to keep them from over-heating. 

 At the same time remember that a heat of eighty or ninety degrees is not too 

 much for them until they are rooted and started to grow ; growth should take 

 place in two or three days. 



The best, cheapest, and most convenient shade, may be made as follows : 

 Take two pieces of pine seven feet long, and two inches square, nail on these 

 pieces of lath y^ feet long and leave one inch space between each lath ; also 

 leave 5 inches at each end without lath, for convenience in handling. These 

 will shade the beds sufficiently and at the same time admit sunlight enough to 

 heat the beds in clear weather. They should always be taken off in cloudy 

 weather. As soon as the plants are fully started, let them have all the sun and 



