452 VEGETABLE GARDENING 



cities, and is grown extensively in the South to supply 

 the northern trade. Thousands of acres are planted an- 

 nually for canning and catsup. The home garden always 

 contains at least a few tomato plants. The fruit is now 

 so popular that hundreds of greenhouses are devoted to 

 its culture to supply the trade during the winter or 

 cooler seasons of the year. It is also an exceedingly 

 popular fruit or vegetable in many foreign countries. 



645. Climate. — The tomato is readily injured by cold. 

 It requires rather high temperatures and plenty of sun- 

 shine for its best development. Eighty to 90 degrees 

 during the day and 15 to 20 lower at night provide the 

 most suitable growing temperatures. Daily sunshine is 

 always an advantage. Notwithstanding the fact that 

 these conditions are important, the crop is grown under 

 a wide range of climatic conditions. Good local mar- 

 kets often make it profitable to sow very early in hot- 

 beds or greenhouses, the plants being kept under glass 

 until they have formed several clusters of flowers, and 

 perhaps developed a few green tomatoes. (649.) As the 

 plants are tender to frost they should never be planted 

 in the open ground until after danger of injury from 

 this source has passed. The crop should be matured 

 and harvested, if possible, before there is much danger 

 of destructive frosts in the fall. 



Sudden changes in temperature are a disadvantage, 

 especially decided drops, because they check growth and 

 may permanently impair the fruiting qualities of the 

 plants. A medium rainfall is essential. The crop fares 

 best when the precipitation is well distributed through- 

 out the season. 



646. Soils. — A deep, fertile, sandy loam with a well- 

 drained clay subsoil, undoubtedly provides the best con- 

 ditions for the culture of tomatoes. The crop, however, 

 is grown successfully on a great variety of soil types. 

 Tracy ("Tomato Culture," p. 33) records: "Of the 10 



