THE VEGETABLE GARDEN 299 



Diseases. Use Bordeaux mixture for leaf diseases. If the 

 roots are subject to rot, do not use the same land next year. 



Pests. Kill cutworms with poisoned bait. Use Bor- 

 deaux mixture and arsenate of lead for the flea beetle. 



THE TOMATO 



Plants. Tomato plants should be started in window 

 boxes or under glass about the fifteenth of March or the 

 first of April, so that they will be ready for the garden 

 when all danger of frost is over. The soil should consist 

 of equal parts of sand, well-rotted barnyard manure, and 

 loam. The seeds should be covered with about a fourth 

 of an inch of soil. After covering, water them through 

 a cloth and cover the box with a pane of glass. Keep 

 the box in a warm place for three or four days ; then 

 place it in a sunny window, as near the glass as possible. 

 Turn it daily to keep the seedlings from growing to one 

 side, and move it away from the window on cold nights. 



After the second leaf makes its appearence, transplant 

 to another box, placing the seedlings two inches apart 

 each way, or put them in four-inch flowerpots. One 

 strong plant should be put in each pot. Set them 

 deeper than they stood in the seed bed, as shown in 

 Fig. 128. The soil should contain considerable coarse 

 manure. To make the stem stronger, pinch out the top 

 bud when the seedlings are four or five inches in height. 

 If the plants growing in boxes are to be planted late, 

 on account of succeeding other crops, they may be 



