THE VEGETABLE-FRUITS 99 



sufficiently grown to be placed in the frame, planted in boxes, 

 in April ; and if set with their first fruit, they will soon take to 

 their new quarters. A hotbed is not necessary. The boxes 

 should be placed at the lower part of the frame, and half-buried 

 in soil mixed with half-decayed leaves this affording slight 

 warmth without impure exhalations. Plenty of air must be 

 given in the daytime, and the frame should be kept slightly 

 open at night, unless sharp frost sets in, when the frame must 

 be covered with mats until the morning. As the season pro- 

 gresses, give the Tomatoes more air night and day, and train 

 the stems below the glass on wire netting, or on canes fixed across 

 the frame, to keep them from lying on the ground. Tomatoes 

 grown in this way can be made to ripen fruit early in the season, 

 and late in the year. 



OPEN-AIR CULTURE. This is possible in nearly every garden, 

 even if it only results in a crop of green fruit, for these will make 

 an excellent pickle, and also may be ripened by exposure to 

 sunshine after they are gathered. One point towards success 

 is the provision of early, well-grown plants, which, moreover, 

 should be thoroughly hardened off before being planted out. 

 The earlier the latter can be accomplished, the greater the 

 chances are of fruit ripening. Protections can always be pro- 

 vided from frosts and cold winds. A great mistake is often 

 made in giving the plants strong doses of liquid manure before a 

 single fruit is set, the result being a rank growth, which is very 

 pleasing to the eye, but the grower finds little satisfaction in 

 the crop of fruit these plants reward him with. Tomatoes like 

 a very firm soil ; therefore plants should have the soil for two 

 feet around them trodden as firmly as possible. In this con- 

 nexion, it may be pointed out that an old cinder-path, broken 

 up and manured, makes an excellent medium for Tomatoes. 

 Where plants are growing against walls, and are supported by 

 wires, make a point of examining the latter every few days, 

 many of the ties probably not allowing for expansion. Do not 

 attempt to produce a record crop by running up several leaders. 

 This plan answers very well if it is desired to cover a bare wall 

 in a short time, but it will not produce a profitable crop. It is a 

 decided advantage to grow but one leader to each plant, remov- 

 ing all side shoots as soon as they show. Trusses of flowers 

 showing a leaf at the extremity should have this leaf removed 

 at once. Feeding with soot-water for the first fortnight induces 

 a strong, yet not too rank, growth ; and heavy crops on outdoor 

 plants may be obtained by the use of this alone. Avoid a too 



