CULTIVATION 77 



increasing the yield per acre as any other expen- 

 diture. In the garden it is advisable that from the 

 time the plants are set until the fruit ripens, the sur- 

 face soil about them be stirred every evening when 

 it is not actually wet. 



In the greenhouse. The surface of the soil should 

 be kept open by frequent stirring, or, as is the practice 

 of some successful growers, it may be covered with a 

 mulch of partially rotted manure. The plants should 

 be watered only as needed to prevent wilt, and special 

 pains taken to guard against too much moisture either 

 in the soil or in the air, particularly on dark days. The 

 night temperature should be uniformly about 60 F. 

 while in the day it should be 75, and if it be bright 

 and sunny it may go to 90 or even higher. Air 

 should be given freely whenever feasible to do so with- 

 out too greatly reducing temperature. A moderate 

 degree of moisture should be maintained in the air, 

 care being taken that it does not become too moist, 

 especially during dark days. There is jnore danger 

 from the air becoming top^jrioist than from its be- 

 coming too dry, though either extreme is injurious. 



Pollinating. The structure and relations of the 

 parts of the tomato flower are such that while perfect 

 pollination is possible, and in plants grown in the open 

 air usually takes place without artificial assistance, 

 it is not so likely to occur when plants are grown 

 under glass, particularly in the winter months, and 

 it is usually necessary to secure it by artificial means. 

 With vigorous, healthy plants and on light, sunny 

 days, it can be accomplished by jarring the plants near 

 midday. This generally throws enough pollen into the 



