The Canadian Horticulturist, 165 



Cultivate about three inches deep the first time, and an inch deeper and a little 

 narrower each time afterward. Use the hand hoe freely between the plants, 

 keeping them perfectly free from weeds. After cultivating them three or four 

 times over put the small moulding steels on the cultivator and throw a moderate 

 quantity of soil close up to the plants. The soil should be drawn in around 

 the plants with the hand hoe. Repeat the operation after a week or ten days. 

 The earth around the plants when finished should be two or three inches 

 higher than the centre between the rows, and the hills should be broad and 

 rather flat. Be careful not to hill them too heavy or make the hills sharp. Just 

 before the vines get so close together as to be in the way, set the cultivator 

 teeth pretty close, about eighteen or twenty inches apart (without the moulding 

 steels) and cultivate the centres of the rows seven or eight inches in width per- 

 fectly soft and mellow. This last cultivating will save the plants from suffering 

 from the drouth in very hot weather. When the plants lack moisture at the 

 roots and the weather is very hot, a dry rot affects the fruit on the face. I may 

 say here that, in my experience, I have found that clear red tomatoes are more 

 free from rot than those of other colors. If manure enough could not be 

 obtained before setting the plants, use about two tablespoons of nitrate of soda ; 

 scatter it directly over the roots of the plants just before drawing the earth 

 around them. Or a large handful of unleached ashes, used in the same way, 

 will be found a good dressing for them. This will give the plants a vigorous 

 start, and help them to be more fruitful. 



(To be continutd.) 



S. H. Mitchell. 

 St. Marys, Ont. 



UndeP^POUnd IPPi^ation is often more useful than water applied on 

 the surface, for small fruits and forced vegetables, especially the strawberry 

 when the plants are developing fruit. The sinking of empty flowerpots here 

 '^^ ' ' ^^C". i^k^ ^^^ there through the plot, and keep^ 



ing these filled with water, which 

 ^Nt^^^^Y— ^^-— ^ ^'^"^^^^^ gradually soaks out into the surround- 



J^' :•/ ^I ~' ' -V ' - - 7^ v.* • -r^v^i iy.l 4^^^^'^. ing ground, may answer for a small 

 • ,-'-i= V;- i «,-•'-'' ••* ^ /»■■•>■•>'■'•- • >- o '^ J 



"^ V -' ■*' •"-'•-■• •'— ■ plot of berries, but for a larger area 



Fig. 766.— Tile Scb-Irrigation. the plan suggested in the accompany- 



ing illustration will be found more serviceable. Bewteen ever}- second row of 

 plants is laid, a few inches below the surface, a row of drain tiles, the first one 

 in each row coming to the surface. With a hose each row of tile can be filled 

 in a moment, and the water will be absorbed by the earth and reach the roots 

 of the plants as needed, and there will be no baking of the surface soil. If 

 desired, the first row of tile could be extended around through the various rows, 

 and the whole filled from one point. A modification of this idea is used with 

 many other crops. — American Agriculturist. 



