THE TOMATO. 



333 



When the fruits are approaching maturity, 

 ripening will not be hastened by the complete 

 removal of the leaves about them. Where the 

 leaves cover the fruits they may be reduced 

 somewhat in size, but the too common whole- 

 sale removal (as shown in fig. 1110) is sense- 

 less in the extreme. All the defoliating advis- 

 able is shown in fig. 1111. Much of the fruit 

 should ripen during July, August, and Sep- 



Fig. 1110.— Common example of reckless defoliating. 



stalks fresher when ripened in the dark than 

 is the case when the gathered fruit is exposed 

 to sunlight. It is the smaller green fruits that 

 should be utilized for making into pickles, the 

 largest of those gathered in September colour- 

 ing in due course. 



Market-growers' Methods. — Market-growers who 

 have gone intelligently to work have found 

 the open-air crops of Tomatoes remarkably 

 profitable, as much as .£200 per acre net profit 

 having been obtained in favourable years. Bad 

 years there are occasionally, but the average 

 is highly satisfactory in spite of these. The 

 aground ought always to be well cultivated and 

 manured, as for Potatoes. Hot soils may have 

 a dressing of about 20 tons of half-decayed 

 stable or farmyard manure, dug or ploughed 

 in well in advance of planting - time. For 



tember. What there are still hanging late in 

 September should be cut before being injured 

 by frosts. In the more moist localities ripen- 

 ing fruit are very apt to crack badly, and the 

 remedy is to gather them when beginning to 

 change colour, and to finish the ripening in 

 boxes or shallow heaps in a warm, dark room, 

 or they may be covered up with paper, the 

 colouring being more satisfactory and the foot- 



Fig. 1111.— Tomato Plant, partially defoliated. 



moderately strong ground that has been pre- 

 viously cropped with Potatoes or Tomatoes, a 

 dressing of a chemical manure is preferable to 

 solid manure, the former giving the requisite 

 support to the plants without promoting a too 

 sappy, leafy growth. A chemical manure that 

 has repeatedly done good service is made up 

 as follows : — 



Nitrate of soda ... 



4 cwts. per acre 



Superphosphate of lime 



8 „ 



Kainit ... 



3 „ 



Sulphate of iron 



h cwt. „ 



The three last-named being somewhat slow 

 to take effect, they should be thoroughly mixed 

 with the top spit of soil well in advance of 

 planting - time, while the quickly - dissolving, 

 easily - lost nitrate of soda should be applied 



