TOMATOES. 119 



plants needs careful attention. It does not need to be 

 specially rich, but it must be made as fine and mellow as 

 the most thorough working with the plow or spade and 

 hoe and rake can secure. The soil should never be 

 worked when wet. The dryer it is the lighter you can 

 make it, and the lighter it is the warmer and better will 

 it be for tomatoes. In setting out the tomato plants be 

 very careful to press this dry, light soil firmly round 

 their roots. If the plants are in pots, transplanting is 

 a safe and easy matter, though an important one. Be- 

 fore transplanting saturate the soil in the pots with water, 

 nearly milk warm. The best way to do this is to place 

 the pots containing the tomatoes in a wash-tub or shallow 

 box, containing water enough to nearly cover them. Let 

 them remain in the water at least four or five minutes, 

 then remove them and let them drain for an hour or so, 

 or until you are ready to set them out. 



Plant in rows four feet apart, and not less than two 

 feet apart in the rows. Set a line (and be sure you do 

 not forget this), as crooked rows should never be toler- 

 ated in the garden; make holes with a hoe where the plants 

 are to be set, and if you work into the soil about a table- 

 spoonful of superphosphate it will be very beneficial. 

 Then, every thing being ready, place your two fingers on 

 each side of the plant, reverse the pot so that the plant 

 will hang down and strike the edge of the pot on any 

 hard substance which happens to be handy, say the top 

 of a spade, or the side of the wheelbarrow, or the top of 

 the wooden pail containing the superphosphate. Set the 

 plant, with the ball of moist earth, undisturbed, into 

 the hole, so deep that the surface of the soil will be fully 

 up to the first leaves of the plant, pull the soil to, and 

 press it firmly around the roots of the plant with the 

 hands, and the work is done. And if well done, you 

 have every reason to expect a grand crop of tomatoes. 

 Do not waste your time in watering the plants, it is un- 



