278 Culture of the Tomato, or Love- Apple. 



sure (as I suppose), to the seeds not being sown soon enough 

 to allow the plants to acquire sufficient strength in the spring for 

 turning out. The way that I cultivate mine is this. In the first 

 week of December I sow a little new seed in a 32-sized pot, in 

 light sandy soil, and place the pot upon a hot-water pipe where 

 there is a nice gentle heat kept. When the plants get well up 

 I move them to a shelf near the glass in a pine-stove, whence 

 the air comes nearly upon them (being a hanging shelf that is 

 placed at the back part of the house, nearly close to the roof). 

 When they have made partly two rough leaves, I prick them 

 out into pans about 2 in. apart each way, placing them upon the 

 pipes till struck, and then remove them to the shelf again till 

 they become strong enough for potting one plant in a large 60- 

 sized pot; and I afterwards shift them, so that their roots may 

 not become matted in the pots, giving plenty of water in the 

 spring. A little sheep-dung water sometimes greatly assists 

 them. As the spring advances, they must be gradually hardened, 

 previously to their being planted out. When the weather is 

 warm enough, I plant them out against a south wall, if possible, 

 particularly in a cold situation. 



I am aware that they are successfully grown near London, 

 and in warm sandy soils, trained against palings and espaliers, 

 and even will have fine fruit if allowed to run upon the ground 

 like the vegetable marrow ; but my plan is for a cold situation, or 

 a bad season. I do not like growing the lovea-pple between fruit 

 trees, as they rob the ground of much of its nutriment, besides 

 being inconvenient for my mode of ripening the fruit. 



Happening to have a south wall about 4 ft. high, running 

 along my melon ground, I had a trench taken out about 3 ft. 

 wide and 21 ft. deep, and afterwards filled it up with good rich soil. 

 When all is ready for planting, 1 take the soil out to receive the 

 plants at a distance of from 4 ft. to 5 ft. apart, and put them in 

 so as to allow a large hand-glass being put. over each for a time. 

 By growing the plants as large as possible before planting out, 

 they have the advantage of the summer for ripening their fruit. 

 When the glasses are removed, I nail them to the wall, using 

 large shreds, to allow plenty of room for the stem to swell. In 

 training they may either be nailed with an upright stem with- 

 out stopping, and the side shoots horizontally, about 15 in. 

 apart ; or they may be trained fan-shape in the first instance, 

 and afterwards perpendicularly at 1| ft. distance, taking care to 

 pinch out all laterals that may not be wanted, close to the stem, 

 and not before a joint as frequently done (which causes great 

 confusion, by making the laterals grow stronger, and shade the 

 fruit with the thick foliage produced by cutting), and retaining no 

 shoot but the three principals. In hot weather they should be 

 duly supplied with water, giving them a little dung-water occa- 



