THE TOMATO. 



331 



Society have been of considerable assistance in 

 the preparation of this chapter. Upwards of 

 one hundred varieties of Tomatoes, more or 

 less distinct, are now available for cultivation. 



Cultivation in the Open Air. 



Our climate is far too uncertain for any great 

 reliance to be placed on open-air crops of Toma- 

 toes. In a hot and dry summer they succeed 

 admirably, not only against sunny walls and 

 fences, but also quite in the open, with no 

 extra shelter, and only a stake to each plant. 

 The weather experienced in the last three 

 summers (1899-01) proved this, the great 

 heat and sunshine suiting Tomatoes well, 

 even self-sown plants reaching a productive 

 state in time for a portion of the crops tc 

 ripen. Such weather, however, is unusual in 

 this country. 



By starting with strong plants, and striv 

 ing to keep them growing and setting crop- 

 rapidly, it is possible even in an ordinary 

 summer to get a good crop, the bulk of which 

 may ripen before bad weather sets in, or dis- 

 ease works havoc among the plants. When 

 house-room was more limited, the old-fash- 

 ioned plan of raising the plants early, and 

 gradually shifting them on into 10-inch pots 

 with a view to having a crop already set on 

 them before placing them outside against a 

 sunny wall, answered well, especially seeing 

 how slowly and indifferently the fruit ripens 

 under the shade of Vines. Nowadays those 

 who must have Tomatoes in abundance 

 nearly or quite all the year round, have 

 houses devoted chiefly to their culture, and 

 the open-air crop is not relied upon other 

 than as supplementary. 



Unless the plants can be kept growing 

 moderately strongly, it is a mistake to raise 

 them as early as is usually advised, starve- 

 lings being very slow in attaining a healthy 

 productive state — if ever they do. Late in 

 March, or the first week in April, is soon 

 enough to sow the seed, and the preference 

 should be given to moderately strong-grow- 

 ing, free -setting, early -maturing varieties — 

 notably Champion, Frogmore Selected, Early 

 Euby, Golden Nugget, Holmes' Supreme, Comet, 

 and Veitch's Glory, all of which are heavy crop- 

 pers. 



The seeds should be sown thinly in well- 

 drained 6-inch pots, or in pans and boxes, using 

 light sandy soil, and place on or plunge in a 

 mild hot-bed, or, failing this, on a bed or staging 



in a forcing house or frame of any kind. If 

 the soil is kept uniformly moist the seedlings 

 will appear in a week to ten days. Before 

 they become leggy, raise them up to the light 

 in the same house, pit, or frame, and thin out 

 if necessary. 



When they have formed two leaves above 

 the cotyledons, either plant them singly in the 

 centre of 3-inch or 4-inch pots, or in pairs 

 against the sides of 6-inch pots. Light loamy 



Fig. 1107.— Tomato— Dwarf Gem. 



soil, previously warmed by means of hot bricks 

 plunged in the heap, should be used, and the 

 plants ought to be buried up to their seed- 

 leaves. If they can be given the benefit of 

 bottom-heat and a little shade the} T will quickly 

 recover from the check given, but if the house 

 or pit can be kept at from 60° to 70°, bottom- 

 heat may be dispensed with. Water carefully 

 at first, especially where the larger pots are 



