276 THE BOOK OF VEGETABLES 



be bearing fruit before they are set in the field, hi 

 with ordinary house or frame conditions this is best n 

 attempted. When set out, after frosts are past, Tom 

 toes should be given a light dressing of nitrate of so< 



Fig. 132. Modern Tomatoes, large and round. 



or of liquid manure and should have the best of culti 

 vation. Training the plants produces early fruits, am 

 generally speaking it is always best to give Tomatoe 

 some kind of support, to allow the fruits to develoj > 

 and to prevent them from rotting on the ground 

 The best results are obtained from Tomatoes trainee '. 

 upright, and pruned to a single stem, care being taker 

 to pinch off all side shoots, and after three clusters oi 

 fruits have set to pinch off all subsequent blossoms. 

 By this method the earliest fruits are produced, and 

 the Tomatoes are more regular in size. Other methods 

 are training to two or three stems. For such training < 



