TOMATO 279 



finally into the permanent beds. The most extensive com- 

 mercial growers seldom make more than three shifts, 

 including the final transplanting into the beds. 



An extensive grower at Cleveland, Ohio, sows in beds 

 and then sets two plants in a quart berry basket; these 

 are ultimately set, basket and all, in the ground beds. It 

 is claimed that the results are just as satisfactory as when 

 pots are employed and that the expense in starting the 

 plants is less. 



The utmost care should be exercised in the growing of 

 strong, robust plants. They should not be permitted to 

 become pot-bound at any time. Careful watering and 

 ventilation are of urgent importance. 



Planting distances. There is the greatest diversity of 

 practice in the planting distances adopted by different 

 growers. Some tests have been made at the experiment 

 stations, but the results with different varieties under 

 variable conditions are so contradictory that conclusions 

 of real value cannot be drawn. 



Close planting undoubtedly results in smaller tomatoes 

 and smaller yields to the plant, but not necessarily smaller 

 yields per square foot. The tendency of commercial 

 growers, however, is to become more liberal in the amount 

 of space between rows, which is a decided advantage in 

 caring for the plants and in harvesting the fruit. For- 

 merly the most common practice was to plant 16 by 18, 

 18 by 18, 20 by 24 or 24 by 24 inches. Now .the more 

 frequent plan is to allow 2^ to 4 feet between rows and 

 to set the plants a foot to 18 inches apart in the row. 

 For example, one of the most successful growers at Iron- 

 dequoit has only seven rows in a house 30 feet wide, and 

 the plants are 18 inches apart in the rows. A prominent 

 Cleveland grower allows 3 feet between rows, and berry 

 baskets, each containing two plants, are set at intervals 

 of 27 inches. A well-known grower in Western Pennsyl- 

 vania plants 3 feet by 15 inches ; an Erie, Pa., grower 3 feet 

 by 12 inches, a Massachusetts grower 3 feet by 15 inches. 



