1 74 Commercial Gardening 



both valuable foods (see Vol. I, pp. 156, 158). Phosphates may be applied 

 by means of bone ash or bone meal at the rate of 4 or 5 Ib. to the square 

 rod; guano, 1 to 2 Ib. to the rod; superphosphate of lime, 4 to 6 Ib. to the 

 rod; and basic slag, 4 Ib. to the rod. The latter is an excellent phosphatic 

 .and' lime manure, and should be mixed with the soil at the time of 

 planting, as it is slow acting in its nature. 



To secure a supply of potash, one of the cheapest manures is kainit. 

 This, however, should not be applied to growing plants, as it contains 

 -so much common salt. It is best worked into the soil a few weeks before 

 planting or potting takes place. The same remarks apply to muriate 

 of potash, another highly concentrated potash manure. Sulphate of 

 potash has come to the front of late years as an excellent manure, and 

 when necessary may be given at the rate of 2 to 3 Ib. to the square 

 rod. Wood ashes, in addition to yielding up phosphates, are also valuable 

 as a safe potash food, 1 ton containing as much as 150 to 200 Ib. of 

 potash. By burning vegetable refuse the grower can always have a 

 supply of this manure at his disposal. 



If a word of caution is necessary in regard to the use of chemical 

 manures it may be given in regard to nitrate of soda. The frequent, 

 -and often unnecessary, use of this quickly soluble nitrate causes not only 

 a softness and sappiness in the stems and leaves that predisposes them 

 to attacks of fungoid diseases, but also engenders a softness and tender- 

 ness in the skin of the fruits that causes them often to crack and to 

 travel badly to market. 



Winter Crops. The cultivation of Tomatoes as described above may 

 be carried out in glasshouses without any artificial heat whatever during 

 the summer months. If crops, however, are desired during the winter 

 and early spring months, it will be necessary to have the houses heated, 

 and a night temperature of not less than 60 F. must be maintained. 

 For early autumn crops the seeds should be sown in the way already 

 described, about the end of May and during June. No artificial heat 

 will be necessary, and the plants may be grown on strong and sturdily 

 with plenty of fresh air and light surrounding them. For early-spring 

 ^rops seeds should be sown in September, the young plants being trans- 

 ferred to 2J-in. pots when large enough, and afterwards to 5-in. or 6-in. 

 pots. In due course they should be placed in 10-in. or 12-in. pots, using 

 a fairly gritty loam having a little leaf mould and basic slag mixed 

 with it. By placing a slender bamboo stake to each plant the main 

 stem can be tied from time to time as it grows, and all the laterals 

 should be pinched out when they can be easily taken between finger and 

 thumb. 



As there is always more difficulty in setting the fruits of winter 

 Tomatoes, care should be taken to keep the atmosphere pure and in a 

 moving or buoyant condition on all days when the weather is mild and 

 genial. If the stems are tied to wires or strings the latter may be 

 istrummed at intervals with the fingers at noonday for several days. 



