TOMATOES 7 



omit the drainage, because in such soils there is a sufficient 

 natural drainage, and fill up with compost as in the case of 

 clay. Use little or no leaves unless you can counterbalance 

 them with heavy stuff, and substitute cow or pig manure for 

 the stable manure, which is too light. 



Probably no soil can be too poor to produce good tomato crops, 

 provided that manures are constantly fed to them. Even 

 crude sand, without a particle of humus, can be made productive 

 in this way, but we consider it a dangerous way, as a regime 

 of chemicals which would entirely supplant natural manures 

 may, as in some cases we have seen, render the plants more 

 susceptible to disease. 



SANDY lyOAM 



This is a soil which we consider ideal. It needs well breaking 

 up and dressing with leaves and farmyard manures. As a rule 

 it possesses a natural drainage, but to avoid danger break it 

 up deeply 2 feet by preference. Even such good soil as this 

 is rendered none the worse by a further addition of sand or grit, 

 because tomatoes do love a sharp and quickty draining soil. 

 And, by the way, when at this stage we refer to manures, we 

 would have it plainly understood that they must be used very 

 sparingly until the plants have opened their first trusses of bloom. 

 Young tomatoes should not be grown grossly and brought up 

 bloated and coarse, but should be given only sufficient manure 

 to make them sturdy and healthy without superfluous sap. 

 Please note, however, that we have no word to say in favour 

 of starving the plants. We have heard some very rabid advocates 

 of even that system, but could never quite follow their logic, 

 believing as we do that either extreme, gross feeding or starva- 

 tion, must be bad for the plant. We repeat, then, give but 

 light dressings of manure, sufficient to supply a modicum of 

 food and to add a very suitable and valuable ingredient to the 

 texture of the soil. 



PLANTING 



Assuming that we have our beds ready, the digging well and 

 truly done, the disintegration thorough, it only remains to firm 

 the soil down by treading, much or little, as the case may require. 



