The Kitchen Garden. 105 



Shaped are tLe best for table use ; hut the Large Red, a scol- 

 loped or indented variety, -is preferred for marketing, as it 

 grows much larger. The Large Yellow differs in flavor from 

 the Red, and is preferred by some. It comes into use some- 

 what earlier than the other sorts. It is much used for pre- 

 serves. The Red Cherry-Shaped and the Yellow Cherry- 

 Shaped are beautiful varieties, much used for pickling and 

 preserving. 



A light, loamy, and moderately rich soil is best for the 

 tomato. To have early tomatoes, the plants must be started 

 in hot-beda in March. Sow the seeds thinly, or thin out the 

 plants soon after they come up. As they advance in growth, 

 they may be transplanted into a cold frame or walled pit, pro- 

 tected by glass, where they may stand three inches apart to 

 harden for final transplanting into the open air ; or they may 

 remain in the hot-bed till settled warm weather — from the 

 middle to the end of May in this latitude — when they may be 

 planted out into a warm, sheltered situation in the open air. 



Those who have no hot-bed or pit may very easily forward 

 a few plants in a large pot or box of rich earth placed in the 

 kitchen window, sowing the seeds in it from the middle of 

 March to the first of April. Two or three weeks may be 

 gained in this way over those i>lanted in the open air. 



For early tomatoes, we form conical hills, a foot or more in 

 height, and three feet apart, with a little well-rotted manure 

 in the center. Into a little crater-like excavation in the sum- 

 mits of these hills we set the plants, which should be taken up 

 with a trowel in such a way as not to check their growth. A 

 still better way is to sow the seeds in small pots, and in trans- 

 planting to transfer the whole ball of earth from the pot to the 

 hill. The advantage of the elevated hills is, that the earth 

 around the roots is more readily and thoroughly warmed by 

 the heat of the sun. For a late crop, or for a hot, dry climate, 

 this plan is not to be recommended. 



In the South a plenty of tomatoes may be raised from self- 

 sown Beed, which will spring up in the garden, and require 



5* 



