284 VEGETABLE FORCING 



small, with the thumb and finger. The plants should be 

 looked over at least once a week so that none of them 

 will attain any considerable size before being removed. 

 When the plant reaches the desired height, the terminal 

 is pinched off. Most growers prefer plants that are 6 to 7 

 feet high. In eastern sections they are sometimes grown 

 to a height of 8 to 10 feet. Alertness is required to 

 observe all the lateral shoots and to avoid pinching off 

 the terminal shoot before the desired height of the plant 

 has been secured. 



Growers do more or less pruning of the leaves. This 

 seems to be an advantage when the growth is very rank, 

 but it is a matter which should be managed with extreme 

 care. Excessive defoliation is certain to result in dimin- 

 ished fruit production. When the lower leaves become 

 badly diseased, they should be promptly removed and 

 destroyed. 



Watering. Tomato plants require an abundance of 

 water, and this is especially true after they have grown 

 to a height of several feet. There is always danger of in- 

 sufficient water being applied and the moisture failing to 

 reach the bottom of the beds. In very heavy soils which 

 do not contain enough organic matter, repeated watering 

 on the surface of the ground is likely to compact the soil 

 and thus prevent the percolation of the water to the full 

 depth of the beds. This is one of the main arguments for 

 mulching with manure or watering by means of sub- 

 irrigation. When the supply of soil moisture is insuffi- 

 cient, blossom end rot of the fruit is likely to occur, the 

 plants will not be thrifty in growth and the fruits will be 

 small. While an abundance of moisture is absolutely 

 necessary, a saturated condition of the soil must also be 

 avoided, for this invariably causes the growth of weak, 

 spindling plants with yellowish leaves and low fruit pro- 

 duction. Diseases are also more destructive when the 

 soil contains too much water. Over-watering is most 



