458 VEGETABLE GARDENING 



production of first early fruits, each plant should bear 

 two or more clusters of flowers when set in the field. 



650. Starting late plants. — In many of the southern 

 districts where tomatoes are grown for the cannery, the 

 seed is sown in the open, and the plants set in the field 

 when they are 6 to 8 inches tall. In northern sections 

 plants are generally started under glass or protecting 

 muslin or canvas and set in the field with or without 

 previous transplanting. There is an increasing tendency, 

 however, to transplant at least once before taking to the 

 open ground. Both practical experience and experiments 

 indicate that relatively early sowing with at least one 

 transplanting increases yields. The truckers and mar- 

 ket gardeners of the North often exercise almost as much 

 care in starting the late plants as the early ones. 



651. Soil preparation. — Land manured heavily for a 

 cultivated crop the preceding year should be in prime 

 condition for tomatoes. Heavy clover sods are regarded 

 excellent, especially for the late crop. Green manures 

 are employed extensively in some sections preparatory 

 to planting tomatoes. Whatever the previous treatment 

 of the land has been, early spring plowing and frequent 

 and thorough subsequent harrowing are essential to the 

 best results. 



652. Fertilizing. — As soils and methods of soil treat- 

 ment vary greatly on different farms where tomatoes 

 are grown, it is useless to attempt much more than a 

 general discussion of this subject. There is an anti- 

 quated idea that the tomato should not be planted in rich 

 soils. This wrong conception of the needs of the plant 

 has perhaps had its origin in improper methods rather 

 than in actual tests of liberal and intelligent feeding. 

 Every observing grower is familiar with the injurious 

 effects of large amounts of soluble nitrogen, applied late 

 in the season, or of fresh stable manures used shortly 

 before planting. Such treatments, especially if there is 



