314 GABDENING FOB THE SOUTH. 



covering of light soil to keep the ground from baking, and 

 shade during the day until established. The Early Red 

 should be selected for the first crop, and when planted out 

 a warm exposure chosen. Let the rows be about three feet 

 apart and the plants eighteen inches in the row. In poor 

 soil less room is required between the rows. As they are 

 very tender, do not plant out until danger of frost is over, 

 and protect them by large flower pots or boxes, if there is 

 any fear of frost. For a succession, sow in the open ground 

 about corn planting time in a rich, sheltered spot, water 

 with tepid water in dry weather, shield them with a mat 

 or box in cold nights, and thin the plants while young to 

 three inches, and carefully transplant these, when ready, 

 with a trowel and ball into their final situation. Another 

 sowing or two should be made, to keep up a full succession 

 in the long summer of our Gulf States. The Large 

 Smooth Red is a good sort for the main crop. 



As soon as the lower fruit is half grown, cut off the 

 npper part of the plant above the larger fruit, that its 

 growth may be stopped, and the fruit below will be larger, 

 and several days earlier. Ninety per cent of the fruit 

 grows within eighteen inches of the ground, but a large 

 portion of the vines grow above that height. Tomatoes 

 like the soil about them well hoed, and free from weeds. 

 Plants grown in the open air are more abundant in bear- 

 ing than those forwarded under glass. In well-trenched 

 ground, they will continue bearing until frost. 



To Save Seed. Select the largest early fruit, mash with 

 the hand, and wash the seed from the pulp ; spread out 

 upon plates and dry in the shade ; when dry, put thein in 

 paper bags. 



Use. Few vegetables are prepared in as many different 

 forms as the tomato. It is pickled when green, and pre- 

 served when ripe ; it is eaten raw or cooked ; it enters into 

 soups and sauces, and is prepared in catsups, marmalades, 

 and omelets. The French, and the Italians, near Rome 



