Tomatoes 1405 



inches of good soil and raked level. This soil should be made up 

 of about one fourth rotted animal manure and three fourths 

 loamy soil, and should be worked over together before placing on 

 the beds. 



When the beds are completed and raked level, mark off four 

 and one-half inches each way for the first early sorts; set the 

 little seedling plants in each cross or check, being careful not to 

 set the plant below the seed leaves. Deep planting is dangerous 

 at this season of the year. As fast as plants are set put on sashes, 

 and, if much wilting occurs, shade the glass for a day or two 

 during the warm part of the day. As soon as the plants begin 

 growing give plenty of air by raising the sashes, and when the 

 weather becomes warm remove them altogether. This gives a 

 strong and hardy plant that will stand conditions when set in the 

 field. 



The cold frame beds will soon dry out and require watering. 

 At first, while plants are young, light waterings will answer, but 

 as the plants become larger more copious wettings will be required. 

 One good wetting that penetrates deep into the soil is worth two 

 or three light ones that moisten the soil only half an inch. 



Plants in cold frames should be in full bud and an occasional 

 bloom in five weeks after setting. The last week, or at least four 

 or five days prior to removing to the field, sashes should be re- 

 moved entirely both day and night to allow the plants to harden. 

 For the same purpose they should not be watered during this 

 period. 



The early tomato crop can not be grown to advantage on heavy 

 soil as it warms up too slowly in spring; hence a sandy or sandy 

 loam soil is essential for best results, and the soil need not be very 

 rich. 



MANURE AND FERTILIZERS 



If the soil is too rich a heavy vine growth will be the result at 

 the expense of fruit. Rather start with a comparatively poor 

 soil and then feed with animal manures spread broadcast before 

 plowing at the rate of eight to ten tons per acre, after which use 

 three hundred pounds of some high-grade fertilizer in the hill 

 under the plants, incorporating it well with the soil before setting 

 out the plants. A fertilizer made up from high-grade materials 



