630 



MISCELLANEOUS VEGETABLES. 



pan or large flower-pot, and placing it in a sunny window of 

 the sitting-room or kitchen. If the seed is sown in this man- 

 ner about the middle or 20th of March, the plants will be of 

 good size for setting by the time the weather will be suitable 

 for their removal. 



Forcing the Crop. " The ripening of the fruit may be 

 hastened by setting the plants against a south wall or close 

 fence. As the plants increase in size, they must be nailed 

 or otherwise attached to the wall or fence, and, if the weather 

 be dry, liberally watered. When the two first trusses of 

 bloom have expanded over each shoot, the shoot should be 



stopped by pinching off 

 the portion which is 

 beyond the leaf above 

 the second truss, and 

 no more lateral shoots 

 should be suffered to 

 grow ; but the leaves 

 must be carefully pre- 

 served, especially those 

 near the trusses of 

 bloom. The number 

 of shoots on each plant 

 will vary according to 

 the strength and vigor 

 of the particular plant ; 

 but three or four will 

 be quite enough, leav- 

 ing about half a dozen 

 trusses of fruit." 



Culture and Train- 

 { n g. A convenient, 

 simple, and economical 

 support for the plants may be made from three narrow hoops, 



Hoop-training of the Tomato. 



