214 Encyclopaedia of Gardening 



KITCHEN GARDEN continued. 



the soil should be dusted immediately before watering with " Veltha," 

 a proprietary compound sold by florists. It is a great aid to keeping 

 indoor Tomatoes healthy to maintain a brisk, fresh, buoyant tempera- 

 ture; and this may necessitate lighting the boiler fire sometimes even 

 in summer when the weather is chilly and " muggy." Plain loamy 

 soil, with nothing beyond a slight admixture of potash (i Ib. of 

 sulphate of potash per barrow-load), suits Tomatoes. If grown in 

 pots, let lo-in. be the largest size, and when the plants are shifted to 

 them from smaller pots do not fill up at once; wait until they are 

 rooting freely, then give a top dressing. Tomatoes are generally 

 propagated by seed, but cuttings are occasionally used in autumn 

 by those who want winter Tomatoes. The seed is sown in winter 

 or spring, according to the season when the crop is required. For 

 very early crops the seed should be sown in January or February, 

 for summer crops in March. The first sowings may be made in a 

 propagating pit, heated frame, or warm house, the latter in a cool 

 house. The plants should be pricked off a few inches apart when 

 they begin to crowd each other, and potted separately when they 

 touch each other again. Care should be taken not to over-water 

 in spring. Each plant will need a strong stake. As fast as the side 

 shoots show in the axils of the leaves they should be nipped out, so 

 that the plants are kept to one stem. Flower clusters will appear 

 in short shoots on the main stem. When 3 bunches of fruit are 

 formed the following mixture of chemical manure may be prepared, 

 sprinkled over the soil, and watered in twice a week: \\ part super- 

 phosphate, i part sulphate of ammonia, \ part sulphate of potash, 

 \ part Veltha. Plants for outdoor cultivation may be raised simi- 

 larly to the others, and either put into 5 -in. pots in April or into 

 fairly deep boxes. They may be planted out about the beginning 

 of June, a little earlier or later according to the district. They may 

 be set 1 8 ins. apart against a south or west wall, or supported with 

 strong stakes in the open. In either case it will probably be found 

 convenient to stop them at about 4 ft. high. The side shoots may 

 be suppressed as in the case of pot plants. If sprayed with Woburn 

 Bordeaux Paste in solution towards the end of June, and again at 

 the middle of July if the weather is damp, disease can be kept at 

 bay. Rich soil should be avoided, and a light dressing of super- 

 phosphate and sulphate of potash, 2 oz. of the former to i 

 of the latter per square yard, will be better than much farmyard 

 manure. The soil should be made firm round the plants. Reduce 

 the foliage to hasten ripening. Black spot is best kept under 

 with fresh liver of sulphur, \ oz. per gallon of water. 



The varieties of Tomatoes are numerous, but the following will 

 be found reliable: Ideal, Lister's Prolific, Open- Air, Sunrise. For 

 exhibition purposes Perfection may be chosen, but it should be 

 grown under glass. 



Turnip (Brassica Rapa). A useful vegetable, well adapted for 

 culture as a " catch crop " between Peas, but also suitable for being 

 sown broadcast in beds. Coming into use in 6 or 8 weeks from 

 sowing, Turnips are handy for coming between two long-season 

 crops. They may, for instance, be sown in late summer en ground 



