SOLANACEOUS CROP PROJECTS 



59 



12. Transplanting. — There are various reasons for trans- 

 planting tomato plants. Perhaps the most important is the 

 economy of space. A hotbed of very large size would be required ' 

 to start enough plants for even an acre of land, if we sowed the 

 seed thinly enough to provide space for the best development of 

 the plants. In fact, it is not feasible to attempt to grow tomatoes. 



Fig. 12. - 



- Tomato plants in a paper and an earthen pot. Though paper pots are 

 very useful, plants seem to thrive better in earthen pots. 



especially under northern conditions, without shifting the plants 

 once or twice before they are set in the field. 



Tomatoes are generally transplanted when they are three to 

 four weeks old. If they do not crowd each other too much in the 

 hotbed, more time may be allowed. When they are to be trans- 

 ferred to cold frames, it is better to regulate the time of sowing 

 and transplanting so that the plants will not be ready for the 

 frame very much before the middle of April, though much will 



