362 FIELD AND GARDEN PRODUCTS 



comes from the products of northern greenhouses renders the crop, 

 when well handled, very remunerative. 



Soil. The soil which is preferred for the production of this 

 crop is one which contains a comparatively high percentage of sand. 

 In this region sandy loam or a sandy soil is preferred to bottom land 

 for the cultivation of tomatoes. An area with a gentle slope to the 

 south is considered more desirable than that with other exposure. 

 If a wind-break can be secured along the north and west sides of the 

 area very early crops can frequently be preserved through a wind- 

 storm when the temperature, while not low enough to freeze the 

 plants, will, when accompanied by a high wind, chill and destroy 

 them. 



Varieties for the South. In the South, where the tomato is 

 handled as a short-season crop, certain varieties are found to give 

 .best results in certain districts. Along the Atlantic seaboard the 

 growers of tomatoes use such sorts as Beauty, Stone, Perfection, 

 Aristocrat, and Paragon. In the truck regions of eastern Texas the 

 Dwarf Champion is perhaps more universally grown than any other 

 variety, but in this same region the Success is found to be a more 

 profitable late-season or fall crop than the Champion. 



Forcing Tomatoes. In the forcing of plants, which means the 

 growing of a plant out of its natural season and in an artificial 

 environment, the first requirement for success is a properly con- 

 structed protective structure or greenhouse. Because of the tropical 

 nature of the tomato more than ordinary provisions must be made 

 in order to meet the demands of this crop. In the forcing of most 

 vegetables a lower temperature and benches without bottom heat are 

 satisfactory, but with the tomato the house must be piped so as to 

 maintain a minimum temperature of 65 degrees F., and the benches 

 should be so constructed as to admit of applying bottom heat. 



Type of Greenhouse. The type of house that is generally 

 employed for the forcing of tomatoes is the even-span or a three- 

 fourths span house. If the even-span house is used it is preferable 

 to have the ridge running north and south ; if the three-fourths span 

 house is employed it is best to have the long side sloping toward the 

 south. The tomato when grown in the forcing house, because of its 

 long fruiting season and the fact that its clusters of fruit are borne 

 one above the other, requires a considerable amount of head room. 

 Low houses are therefore not desirable in the production of this crop. 

 The side walls of a house designed for the forcing of tomatoes should 

 be at least 4 feet in height, and the distance from the top of the 

 middle bench to the ridge of the house should be at least 10 feet. 



Soil. The soil for the production of this crop should be well 

 decomposed loam, made, if possible, from sods from an old pasture, 

 the soil of which is a rather light clay loam or a heavy sandy loam. 

 With this should be incorporated about one-fourth its bulk of well- 

 rotted stable manure, preferably cow manure. By composting these 

 two materials for from four to six months before they are required 

 for use a very satisfactory soil for the forcing of tomatoes will result. 

 Care should be exercised to allow the soil that is used for forcing 



