198 THE FRUIT GARDEN 



hot-bed on which to place the frame. This will do well for raising the young 

 plants. As soon as large enough to handle, pot singly into 3-inch pots and 

 replace them in the warm frame, keeping them there until well rooted, say for 

 about a fortnight. Then remove them into a cool frame and give them rather 

 more space. They should still be kept warm even in the frame by giving 

 but little air for some time and closing early in the afternoon. The temperature 

 may rise to 70 or 75 degs. for a few hours. Cover the frame with mats or 

 some other material at night. When the plants are about 5 inches high and 

 have filled their pots with roots they should be potted into 6-inch pots. Use 

 soil consisting of ordinary loam three parts and one part of light manure or 

 leaf mould passed through a f-inch sieve, with a sprinkling of lime or soot. 

 They must afterwards be given more room. 



Culture. — For the first week after the second potting they should be kppt 

 fairly warm until the roots have taken hold of the new soil. Then more air 

 must be admitted and the plants grown as hardily as possible, but never allowing 

 the temperature to fall below 40 degs. Towards the end of April and during 

 May the lights may be taken off the frames altogether for a few hours each day 

 when the weather is warm and bright. Towards the end of May the plants 

 ought to be showing flower, and if the frames are wanted for some other 

 purpose, temporary shelter must be provided in some place out-of-doors. This 

 may be made by driving stakes into the ground at distances of 6 feet apart and 

 tying mats to them to form sides, and for a covering nail a lath to the top of 

 the stakes crossways upon which mats can be placed at night. Do not plant 

 in the open quarters too soon, as the tomato is a tender plant ; exposure on a 

 frosty night will cripple them for the season. Do not plant out before the 

 lOth to the 1 6th of June ; I have found this to be the best time. 



Planting. — Plant in rows 2 feet apart, with the same distance from plant 

 to plant, and when the ground is in a suitable condition, neither very wet nor 

 dry. Make the soil firm around each plant by treading. Stout stakes about 

 4J feet high should be provided, to which the plants must be secured as they 

 grow. Do not let the stems grow higher than 3 or 4 feet, as fruits which may 

 form above that height will not ripen. The side shoots or laterals should be 

 cut out close to the stem as they appear, so that the whole energy of the plant 

 may be directed towards developing fruit. 



After Treatment. — A good watering must be given after planting, and 

 the precaution taken to moisten the roots before. It will be difficult to do so 

 thoroughly afterwards. If the weather is dry immediately after planting, water 

 the plants occasionally until they are well rooted. When this is the case a 

 mulching of short manure should be given. The ground must be kept free 

 of weeds by hoeing, the laterals stopped, and occasional waterings given during 

 dry weather. It will take 10,890 plants to plant an imperial acre at 2 feet 

 apart. Each plant should yield 3 lbs. of ripe fruit at a low estimate, and the 

 price per lb. should average 2d., the best would be 3d. or more. This would 

 give a return of £2J2 per acre, or at least a clear ;^ioo profit after all expenses 

 were paid. I do not know of another crop capable of yielding such a rich 

 return from the land in so short a time. 



