80 PHILIPPINE AGRICULTURE 



Malaya, and thrives in the Philippines under all con- 

 ditions and in all seasons better than any other garden 

 crop. The plants should stand 50 cm apart in each di- 

 rection; but on very rich soil or in moist weather they 

 may be farther apart. The fruit is useful only when it is 

 young and tender. Then it may be used in making soup, 

 stewed with other vegetables, or cooked alone. 



Tomatoes. Tomatoes should be planted in boxes or 

 seed beds, both because the ants like the seed, and be- 

 cause the plants, like cabbage, 

 must finally be set regularly, far 

 apart. The seed can be planted 

 in boxes before the end of the 

 wet season, and transplanted as 

 soon as the soil is dry enough. 

 FIG. 62. Tomatoes boxed for The plants should be trans- 

 planted carefully before they are 



10 cm high ; they should be 80 cm apart each way. 

 Tomatoes demand rich soil, which may be heavy or 

 light; but neither the soil nor the air should be very 

 moist. 



When the plants begin to bear fruit, they should be 

 kept up in the air by a wooden frame, or else some dry 

 grass or leaves should be put on the ground to keep the 

 fruit clean. On good and fine soil, tomatoes do not 

 need to be irrigated after they begin to bear fruit. Too 

 much water makes them produce branches instead of fruit. 

 Eggplant. The eggplant, or talong, is probably East 

 Indian in origin. It is a fruit with fine flavor, but not of 



