198 Subtropical Vegetable-Gardening 



send their roots through the bottom of the pot. As soon 

 as either of these occurs, the plants are shifted to a larger- 

 sized pot, which is usually a 3-inch one. The increased 

 space is filled up with soil similar to that formerly used, 

 and the pots are then placed where the other size stood ; 

 of course they require more room. As soon as the fer- 

 tilizer in the 3-inch pots has been fairly well appropriated 

 by the plants, they are transferred to a larger size, say 

 4-inch; some prefer 6-inch pots. The treatment in 

 these pots is similar to that given in the first. It should 

 have been mentioned, however, that before shifting the 

 plants from the smallest pots to the larger, the smaller 

 plants should be pinched off, leaving one plant in the pot. 

 Under proper manipulation, plants may grow to bearing 

 size in 6-inch pots, but this is not profitable. Plants 

 should not be removed to the field until the soil is warm 

 and all danger of cold spells is past, as the seedlings are 

 very sensitive. (See middle figure, Plate X.) 



In using flower-pots for propagating eggplants, care 

 must be taken that at no time do the plants become 

 checked in their growth, as this will materially reduce 

 their productive powers. There are two points always to 

 be borne in mind : first, that fresh fertilizer is applied as 

 soon as the earlier supply has been used; second, plants 

 should not become pot-bound. Under proper manipu- 

 lation plants may be grown from seed in 3-inch pots, 

 from which marketable fruit can be obtained in sixty days 

 after setting out. In tropical countries, sections of bam- 

 boo, and the so-called "bamboo flower-pots," are used. 

 The seed is sown in them, the seedlings thinned to one in 

 each, and the pots split when setting out. 



