THE GROWING OF VEGETABLES 201 



This crop is becoming more popular and is usually relished 

 by those who have grown it. 



Tomato. — In early spring, tomato seeds should be started 

 in window boxes or hotbeds and the seedlings are transplanted 

 to the garden after all danger of frost is over. For school 

 garden work it is well to move the plants twice. First from 

 the seed bed they may be put in tin cans or pots and later trans- 

 planted from these to the open garden. The soil should be 

 rich, and good drainage is preferred. The distance between 

 rows and plants varies with the different varieties and method 

 of training. When they are grown commercially in large 

 areas, staking is not practiced. The average distance in such 

 cases is three and a half feet between rows and three feet 

 between plants in the row. Late varieties may remain for part 

 of the crop to be harvested after the fall term of school opens. 

 Good late varieties are Ponderosa, Livingston's Globe, and 

 Enormous. Good 'early varieties for home use are Spark's 

 Earliana and Bonny Best. Fall canning clubs can make 

 good use of the tomato crop. Figure 115 shows the different' 

 types of tomatoes. 



Turnip. — The small round varieties may be sown in very 

 early spring in beds or drills and thinned as they become large 

 enough for use. In late summer and early fall, turnips of 

 any kind may be sown in beds or drilled in rows to be har- 

 vested just before the ground freezes. Turnips thrive in any 

 good garden soil. A good practice is to sow the seed among 

 the sweet corn at the time of its last .cultivation. Such may 

 be harvested in late fall. Turnips may be stored in a cool 

 cellar. They may be prevented from drying too much by bury- 

 ing in boxes or beds of sand or soil. The best type for storing 

 is the rutabaga, shown in liguTe 116. 



Watermelons. — This is a hot- weather crop, well suited to 

 the southern states and to the lighter warmer soils of the 

 north. The culture is similar to that given for muskmelons. 



