TOMATO 



1969 



frame. The soil should be of a good com- 

 position and plants may be set in this six 

 inches apart. This gives them room until 

 they are transferred to the field. 



The management of the cold frame dif- 

 fers materially from that of the hotbed. 

 The season becomes warmer and the sash 

 may be left entirely open the greater part 

 of the day. However, the gardener must 

 watch for cold, cloudy days, when the 

 sash will need to be left on. Ventilation 

 should be given each day. There is 

 usually danger of a sudden drop in tem- 

 perature during the first days of spring. 

 The grower should see that the cover of 

 the cold frame is always put on at night 

 during this season of the year. Wnen 

 frost is feared add additional cover to the 

 frame. 



Hardening of tbe Plants 



It is necessary to gradually harden off 

 the tomato plant in the cold frame to pre- 

 pare it for field conditions. If they are 

 properly hardened and handled in trans- 

 ferring, they should receive no check in 

 growth. Begin to harden the plants from 

 two to three weeks before they are set in 

 the field. This is done by leaving the 

 cold frame uncovered late each day and 

 having the sash raised to admit night air. 

 As the nights become more congenial, the 

 cover may be left off entirely. When thus 

 handled they are in good condition for 

 setting in the field. 



Setting Plants in tlie Field 



The date of setting plants in the open 

 ground varies greatly, due to different 

 altitudes, kinds o" soil, and climatic con- 

 ditions. 



Much care should be exercised at this 

 time to see that the root system is not 

 molested or exposed to wind or sun while 

 being transferred from the hotbed to the 

 field. Where plants are grown in the hot- 

 bed, a small cube of dirt should be raised 

 with a sharp spade. If a four-inch flower 

 pot is used no difficulty will be expe- 

 rienced in molesting the root system. This 

 latter method is recommended. 



Every precaution should be made to put 

 the field in the best condition and tilth 

 for the reception of the plants. Fall plow- 



ing of the garden ground is the most sat- 

 isfactory and it should be left in the 

 rough. The following spring, as soon as 

 it is sufficiently dry, disk thoroughly, 

 which process will pulverize the large 

 particles, break up the crust, and prevent 

 loss of moisture. Several weeks may 

 elapse between the time of the first work- 

 ing of the soil and the date when the dan- 

 ger of late killing frost is over. 



Just before setting the plants give the 

 ground a thorough harrowing. Furrows 

 are now made crosswise of the field by 

 using a single-shovel plow or one-horse 

 turning plow. When furrows are made 

 in the other direction the plants are set 

 where they cross. The cross-furrows 

 should not be made, however, any faster 

 than the planting is done, as this gives 

 plenty of loose, moist earth to be used in 

 setting the plant. The distance for plant- 

 ing varies with the individual grower. 

 The average distance for planting to ac- 

 commodate the nature of growth of com- 

 mercial varieties is from four by five to 

 five by five feet. Some growers recom- 

 mend that the plants be set in rows four 

 or five feet apart and the individual plants 

 four to three feet apart in the row. It 

 is well for the grower to plant a sufficient 

 distance apart and have rows run straight 

 in two directions so practically all of the 

 cultivation can be done by horse power. 



In some of the large commercial tomato- 

 growing districts planting is done by ma- 

 chine. Machine planting is recommended 

 only where a large acreage is being plant- 

 ed. See that the plants are set deep and 

 firm. The size of the plant causes the 

 depth of planting to vary, but well-grown, 

 stocky plants should be set from five to 

 six inches deep and firmly. Long-stem 

 plants may be set deeper. 



Table 2 

 Cost per .\cre for Planting Tomatoes 



1010 1!111 1!)12 .\vpr. 



Marking rows... $0.9.'> .$1.i;o $O.H0 JO.n.S.T 



IlaulinR plants. . . 1.80 2.80 l.fiO 2.0G6 



Si'ttinc plants,... 3.C5 3,45 iJiO 3.860 

 CathprInK pots In 



Held 35 .30 .40 .35 



Totals $6.75 $7.75 $7..30 $7,205 



NoTF. — Fifty cents per hour was paid for 



man and team, 20 cents per hour was paid for 



liand labiir. 



