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turns, but the yields are usually low. The soil 

 should be plowed as early as possible in the 

 spring and stirred frequently until planting 

 time in order that it may become thoroughly well 

 aerated and warmed. Fertilizers are liberally 

 used upon the land to be planted to tomatoes. It is 

 easy, however, to stimulate an excessive vine 

 growth at the expense of fruit production by over- 

 applications of nitrogenous materials, especially 

 those decomposing slowly and rendering their nitro- 

 gen available late in the season. Heavy applica- 

 tions, of stable manure are desirable, but are pref- 

 erably made to a preceding crop, thus becoming 

 well decomposed and weill mixed through the soil 

 before tomatoes are planted. Commercial fertilizer 

 containing 2% of nitrogen in the form of nitrate of 

 soda, 8% to 10% of phosphorus and 6% to 8% of 

 potash will usually be found a very satisfactory 

 formula. This fertilizer should be used at the rate of 

 500 to 800 pounds per acre. Small applications of 

 nitrate are frequently made to the plants after they 

 have become well established. This stimulates a 

 rank, vigorous growth in the early part of the sea- 

 son. The nitrates, however, are quickly exhausted, 

 bringing about a natural check later in the 

 season, which is conducive to fruitfulness. For the 

 early crop both North and South, except south of 

 the frost belt, the plants are started under glass 

 from four to ten weeks before they are to be trans- 

 planted out of doors. 



The seedlings should be "pricked" off into small 

 pots, flats or beds as soon as they have be- 

 come of sufficient size to handle conveniently. Es- 

 pecial care should be given to ventilation, watering 

 and temperature in order that the plants will re- 

 ceive no check at this stage. When grown in pots 



