Garden Crops Grown for Their Fruits 273 



FIG. 154. Tomato vines with barrel-hoop supports. 



Varieties like Tom Thumb and White Rice may be grown 

 in the home garden. 



TOMATOES 



From 80 to 125 days are needed to bring the fruits of 

 the tomato to ripeness. To secure early crops, it is 

 necessary to have plants of good size ready for trans- 

 planting to the garden as soon as danger of frost is past. 

 With proper care such plants can be had in from 6 to 8 

 weeks from time of sowing seed. 



The tomato is a tender plant that quickly suffers from 

 poor treatment, but it responds to careful handling and 

 proper transplanting. There are many good varieties 

 of tomatoes. For general table use those with medium- 

 sized, well-formed, solid, red fruits are most desira- 

 ble. 



In the North the early and late varieties are planted at 

 the same time. In the South, where the plants grow 



