51 



The tomato comes from tlie south of Europe and 

 therefore requires a longer season to niatui e it than \vc 

 have m New Hampshire. People usually therefore 

 resort to hot beds to forward early plants. Where 

 they have not this convenience plants may be for- 

 warded by planting seeds in pots during the month of 

 March and placing them in kitchen windows exposed 

 to the sun. When the plants are three inches higli 

 they should be transferred to small pots, one plant to 

 a pot. W^hen the weather becomes warm, the middle 

 or last of May the ground should be prepared. It is 

 a "gross feeder" and requires rich soil. The rows 

 should be five feet apatt and the hills five feet apart 

 in the rows. Dig holes eighteen inches deep and the 

 same distance across. Fill them with well rotted ma- 

 nure and ashes incorporated with rich loam. Over 

 this place three inches of good earth and into this 

 transplant the plant. Draw a little earth about the 

 stock and leave the ground about the plant a little 

 hollowing to retain the water. When the plant is 

 fruiting it requires a large amount of moisture. — 

 Thorough watering at this time hastens the ripening 

 of the fruit. Some recommend that the stalk be trel- 

 lised up; others that bushes be laid about the vines that 

 they may not touch the ground; but we have always 

 succeeded best wdien we have let the vines lay upon 

 the ground. Charcoal laid about them draws the sun 

 and causes them to ripen faster than they otherwise 

 would. They are profuse bearers. We have* raised 

 nearly a bushel from one stock. 



To plant in the open ground. — When the weather be- 

 comes warm prepare the ground as above directed and 

 plant six or eight seeds in each hill. When the plants 

 are an inch high draw all but two, and when those 

 are three inches high draw one of them. Afterwards 

 pursue the same treatment as for those raisec^in a 

 hotbed. They furnish a luscious dish. The Large Bed 

 and Large Yellow are preferred for cooking; ih^Pcar- 



