TOMATOES 



449 



As soon as the young seedling plants develop the first true leaves, 

 they are transplanted to small pots, preferably 3-inch pots. They 

 are planted deep at this time and are kept growing vigorously but 

 not fast enough to produce a soft, succulent growth. As soon as 

 the pots are filled with roots, the plants are shifted to larger (4-inch) 

 pots; and when they have attained a height of 12 or 15 inches 

 and have developed their first blossoms, they are then set from 



1 5 to 1 8 inches apart each r ~j~ 



way in the benches of the djj? 



greenhouse where they are 

 to produce their crop. A 

 well-grown plant suitable 

 for either field or green- 

 house use is shown in 

 figure 172. 



Cuttings should be taken 

 off from strong, vigorous, 

 growing plants in the field 

 and placed in the bed 

 about the last of August. 

 They will quickly take root, 

 and as soon as the roots 

 have developed to the 

 length of from \ to I inch, 

 the young plants are 

 shifted to 3 -inch or 4-inch 

 pots, where they remain 

 until the blossom buds are 

 well formed, or until the 

 blossoms have expanded, when they should be transplanted to the 

 benches on which they are to mature. Cutting plants are somewhat 

 shorter-jointed and come into blossom more quickly than do the 

 seedling plants, and for this reason may be started somewhat later. 



Training. In forcing houses it is usual to grow tomato plants 

 with a single stem or, at most, with two or three stems. The houses 

 are provided with wires which are fastened by screw eyes or staples 

 to the sash bars and which run parallel with the rows and directly 

 over the plants. Wires are also fastened to the top of the benches 



FIG. 172. Tomato plant suitable for forcing 

 house or early field use 



