Tomatoes 93 



the ridge and covering them with about two inches 

 of soil. 



The best tomatoes will be produced from seed 

 which have ripened on the plants early in the 

 preceding season. There should be no defect 

 on the tomato at the blossom end or the seed will 

 be imperfect. 



Tomatoes for seed should be allowed to stand 

 after they are picked until they are thoroughly 

 ripe, when they should be cut crosswise to expose 

 the cells. The core should be as ripe and soft as 

 the tomato pulp itself. 



All green or nearly mature tomatoes should be 

 picked just before frost, with stem attached, 

 handled carefully to avoid bruising, and spread out 

 upon the floor or on a shelf in the cellar, if it is dry 

 enough, otherwise in the pantry. When ripened 

 in this way they are quite delicious and if insects 

 do not get at them they will keep for quite a long 

 while. 



Pruning and training tomatoes will insure a larger 

 and better crop, as well as shorten the time of ripen- 

 ing. Plants that are pruned will produce ripe 

 fruit ten days earlier than the same variety that is 

 not pruned. 



