TOMATO. 629 



as soon as the frost will permit. As the plants, even in the 

 most favorable seasons, seldom perfectly mature their full 

 crop, they should be started as early and forwarded as rap- 

 idly as possible, whether by hot-bed or open-air culture. If 

 the seeds are sown in a hot-bed, the drills should be made 

 five inches apart, and half an inch deep. When the plants 

 are two inches high, they should be removed to another part 

 of the bed, and pricked out four or five inches apart, or re- 

 moved into small pots, allowing a single plant to a pot. 

 They are sometimes twice transplanted, allowing more space 

 or a larger pot at each removal, by which process the plants 

 are rendered more sturdy and branching than they become 

 by being but once transplanted. 



As early in May as the weather is suitable, the plants may 

 be set in the open ground where they are to remain, and 

 should be three feet apart in each direction ; or, if against a 

 wall or trellis, three feet from plant to plant. Water 

 freely at the time of transplanting, shelter from the sun for 

 a few days or until they are well established, and cultivate in 

 the usual form during summer. 



If sown in the open ground, select a sheltered situation, 

 pulverize the soil finely, and sow a few seeds in drills, as 

 directed for the hot-bed. This may be done in November 

 (just before the closing-up of the ground), or the last of 

 March, or first of April. In May, when the plants are three 

 or four inches high, transplant to where they are to remain, 

 as before directed. 



In gardens where Tomatoes have been cultivated, young 

 plants often spring up abundantly from the seeds of the 

 decayed fruit of the preceding season. These, if trans- 

 planted, will succeed as well, and frequently produce fruit as 

 early, as plants from the hot-bed or nursery-bed. 



Sufficient plants for the garden of a small family may be 

 started with little trouble by sowing a few seeds in a garden- 

 53* 



