TOMATOES. 147 



across these stringers, leaving as much space between 

 the slats as the width of one of them. This will keep 

 out one-half of the sunshine, and will modify the tem- 

 perature so as to allow the tomato to grow vigorously. 

 Late in the fall frosts are liable to occur, and these 

 same shades will protect the plants from frosts as they 

 do from the sun in summer. 



SAVING SEED. 



The seed that is offered on the general market is so 

 excellent and so cheap that it scarcely seems worth 

 the while to save any, but we shall never have varie- 

 ties that are better adapted to our conditions than we 

 have now, until we have some seed grower who will 

 select the tomatoes with our special wants in view. 

 There are several points of difference between toma- 

 toes growing in the South and in the North, and such 

 conditions as are not taken into consideration by seed 

 growers of the North. Consequently, we should, at 

 least make an attempt at saving our own seed. Select 

 the very best plants from the variety that has always 

 done well and allow these to ripen their fruit ; this may 

 then be gathered and broken into pumice, or it may 

 be cut open and the seed, together with the parts that 

 contain the seed, taken out and placed in a barrel to 

 macerate for a day or so. In the meantime it should 

 be stirred to keep it as homogeneous as possible. To 

 separate the seed from the pumice, follow the direc- 

 tions given under egg-plant. 



CANNING. 



This subject is frequently discussed in connection 

 with vegetable growing. While a great many people 

 think that it would be highly profitable to start a can- 

 ning factory, we have very few Southern canneries 

 that are in successful operation to-day. There are va- 



