TOMATO 283 



placed in the hole in the pipe the farthest from the end. Precaution 

 must be taken not to let it in too far, or it will be troublesome to 

 get the wire out after it is twisted. The handle is turned backward 

 with one hand while the wire is held firmly against the pipe with the 

 other. Two full turns of the handle are made, and the wire should 

 be guided so that it will be near the outer end of the smaller pipe 

 when the turns have been made. The straight end of the wire is 

 then turned so that it is parallel with the pipe. The other end of 

 the wire is then extracted from the hole by means of a screw- 

 driver. The straight end of the wire is next placed in the hole near 

 the end of the pipe and the handle given a half turn. This last 

 move makes the loop to the wire and finishes the operation. The 

 reason for turning the handle backwards in the first case is to make 

 the wire so that it will screw into the soil the same as a screw turns 

 into wood. If the handle is turned forward the wire will have to be 

 screwed into the soil backwards. When a person becomes ac- 

 customed to making the wires he can make at least 500 a day." 



A few growers prefer to use very thin strips, as ex- 

 plained for cucumbers on page 399. Others have found 

 special wire trellises highly satisfactory. They may 

 consist of five to seven wires running lengthwise of the 

 house with cross wires at frequent intervals. The 

 trellises are attached or hinged to pipe purlins above, so 

 that they can be swung up out of the way when not in 

 use, and dropped in a few minutes when they are needed 

 for the support of plants. This plan is most commend- 

 able in every particular. An important advantage of the 

 plan is that jarring the trellis to which the plants are tied 

 with a stick at mid-day when the sun is shining is a most 

 effective aid to pollination. See page 288. 



When twine supports are used, it is customary to tie 

 the plants at about four points with raffia or coarse 

 twine. The loops should be made as far as possible 

 below the nodes of the plants, in order to provide more 

 perfect support. An excellent plan is to coil the plant as 

 it increases in height about the twine, when it is unneces- 

 sary to make so many ties. 



All lateral shoots are pinched off, when they are very 



