VEGETABLE GROWING 



323 



ported by brush or wire netting. These tall varieties are 

 sown in rows three or four feet apart, while the " dwarf " 

 varieties ma}' be planted as near together as eighteen 

 inches. The seeds of both kinds are planted about two 

 inches apart in the row and covered about two and one 

 half inches deep. 



237. When the Danger of Frost is past. — In making our 

 plans for the warm season crops, we may study first, those 

 plants which were started in 

 the hotbed, and second, those 

 whose seeds are planted di- 

 rectly in the warm, open soil. 



Tomatoes. — These plants 

 need a long, warm growing 

 season and therefore thrive 

 bestin the South. By start- 

 ing the plants under glass, 

 however, and transplanting 

 them to cold frames later, 

 stocky, vigorous plants may 

 be produced, which are well on 

 their way by the time warm 

 weather arrives. In this way, 

 tomatoes are grown even 

 north of the Canadian line. 



In anj' locality, the best to- 

 matoes are grown on a rich, 

 moist soil. In addition to 

 this, some means must be pro- 

 vided of keeping the vines up 



out of the dirt. A wooden or wire frame may be placed 

 under the vines to hold them up, or they may be pruned to 

 a single stem and tied up to a stake, or lath. In fact, some 



U. S. Dipt, of Agriculture. 



Fig. 147. — Pruned tomato 

 vines. 



