126 The Canadian Horticulturist. 



open the sash to keep down the heat. Give air as required, aiming always to 

 keep up sufficient heat to make the plants grow rapidly, and at the same time to 

 give air enough to keep the plants from drawing. 



CHAPTER Vn. 



Varieties of Soil and their Preparation. 



The best soil for tomatoes is a rich, deep, sandy loam. The next best 

 is a deep, rich, gravelly loam, but if the gravel comes too near the surface, the 

 crop in dry seasons will be light. Such soils are usually dry and well drained 

 in their natural condition, and take in the heat of the sun more than heavy 

 soils. Muck soils may sometimes grow good crops of tomatoes if well drained ;. 

 but they are apt to grow too much vine, and the fruit does not set early and 

 freely, so that the crop comes in late, and, consequently, is seldom profitable. 

 Clay loam may be made in fair condition for a crop by good under-drainage,. 

 using three-inch tile, put in three feet deep and not more than thirty feet apart. 

 Heavy clay soils should be avoided, as they will not be profitable to grow 

 tomatoes on. Those who have no other soil, and wish to grow good tomatoes 

 for family use, should choose as dry a piece of land as they have, and mark out 

 the size they require. Then draw on four square yards of medium fine sand to 

 each rod of land, also a load of well rotted manure, and, if it can be obtained, a 

 load of muck. Spread evenly over the piece, and work it in with a horse- 

 cultivator, 8 or 9 inches deep ; plow it up and work again with harrow and 

 cultivator until the soil and other material is perfectly mixed. Use the same 

 land every year, and work it a little deeper each year until it is worked 1 2 inches 

 deep, adding more sand if necessary : about half sand on such a soil would not 

 be too much when well mixed in. 



But the question asked will be, will it pay? I answer yes, and pay well. 

 The first crop may not pay ; but it should be remembered that a piece of land 

 so prepared will last any length of time, as the sand will not wear out or rot 

 away. All that will be required after the first year is a coat of manure each 

 season. And tomatoes can be grown on the same ground any length of time, 

 and the plot will each year improve. 



The cost of a rod prepared as above will be about as follows : — 



5 yards of fine sand at 50c $2 50 



I load manure, 50c., i load muck, 50c i 00 



Work, mixing to the depth of 9 inches ..... — 50 



16 extra early strong plants i 00 



Hoeing and tending 50 



$5 50 



