340 The Profitable Culture of Vegetables. 



Raising the Plants. Before the time for sowing arrives 

 consideration should be given to the question of what labour 

 is available for pricking out the seedlings, and what accommo- 

 dation can be provided for the protection of the plants in their 

 later stages. Where only a small area is to be planted this 

 matter may be easily disposed of, but it presents more difficulty 

 where the planting is on a large scale. When the seedlings 

 have grown to the proper size for pricking out, that operation 

 should be attended to at once or, as they are then growing 

 rapidly, they are liable to become drawn and spoiled. Where 

 a large number have to be handled it is a good plan to decide 

 first how many can be pricked out in one day and then to make 

 a daily sowing of sufficient seed to provide for that number. 

 For instance, suppose the area to be planted is one acre ; with 

 single-stemmed plants at 3ft. by 18in. apart 9,800 would be 

 required, and to provide for these there should be at least 

 10,000 good seedlings transplanted. If seed sufficient for 2,000 

 is sown each day, when they are ready for handling that number 

 can be pricked out daily for five consecutive days, and the last 

 batch will be in the same condition as the first was. 



There is no better way of raising Tomato plants than on a 

 mild hot-bed. This should be made about the end of Feb- 

 ruary, 2ft. deep, of fresh stable manure which has been well 

 sweetened by turning four or five times at intervals of two days. 

 Seed should be sown in the middle of the first week in March, 

 but when a large number of plants have to be raised, sowing 

 can be done a few days earlier and later. The bed should be 

 covered with soil Sin. deep and the seed may be sown either 

 in this or in boxes, but boxes are preferable, because they are 

 convenient for carrying to the place where pricking-out is done. 

 The strips of wood forming the bottom of the box should be 

 nailed on iin. apart to allow of drainage. The soil for seed 

 sowing should be of a light sandy nature ; a good mixture for 

 the purpose is one-third each of sifted loam, leaf mould or 

 cocoa-nut fibre (or failing either, thoroughly decayed sifted old 

 hot-bed manure), and sharp sand or finely-sifted furnace ashes. 

 In filling the boxes put over the bottom a layer of the lumps 

 thrown out in sifting, then fill to |in. from the top with the fine 

 material. Fill the boxes a week previous to sowing, then soak, 



