THE TOMATO. 



335 



fruit can be had the most surely from plants 

 in pots. Under good treatment and favourable 

 conditions, they succeed remarkably well, single 

 plants in the 10-inch size being capable of pro- 

 ducing 8 lbs. of fruit and upwards. Naturally 

 pot-plants require closer attention than do those 

 planted out, and in particular must have abun- 

 dance of water and liquid manure to keep them 

 going; but they pay for it. It is not long 



before the soil in unplunged pots becomes heated 

 to much the same temperature as the house, 

 and in addition to this the roots also get the 

 benefit of the aeration afforded by the porous 

 pots. 



If fruit is wanted early in the year, the seed 

 should be sown in September, and the seed- 

 lings be potted singly in 2^-inch pots, and kept 

 growing in a temperature of 55° by night to 



lg. 1114.— Tomato— Winter Beauty. (Pot-grown Plants.) 



60° and 65° by day, in a position near the glass. 

 With this treatment good sturdy plants ought 

 to be ready for the fruiting-pots by the middle 

 or end of December. The 10-inch pot is re- 

 commended, but if they cannot be given this 

 size just when they need a shift, place them 

 first into 6-inch pots, and from these transfer 

 to the fruiting-pots before they become root- 

 bound. 



Plants raised thus early should produce ripe 

 fruit early in April, and to succeed these more 

 seeds should be sown in January or early in 

 February. In either case avoid raising many 

 more plants than are really required, as they 

 only spoil each other when at all crowded, and 

 it does not pay to keep leggy plants for planting 

 in borders later on. The fruiting-pots should 



be clean and well drained, the roughest of the 

 compost going over the crocks. 



Soil. — A fairly rich soil may safely be used, 

 a mixture of two parts fibrous or good yellow 

 loam to one of horse-droppings only partially 

 decayed, with some charred soil and a sprink- 

 ling of soot and superphosphate of lime added, 

 answering well. The soil ought to be stored 

 in the house where it is to be used long enough 

 to get warmed prior to use, or else the heap 

 should have several red-hot bricks plunged in 

 it. Press the soil firmly about the roots when 

 potting, and leave plenty of space for subse- 

 quent top-dressings. If only a few plants are 

 grown, these may well be arranged as thickly 

 as they will stand on the staging or shelves 

 along the front of a small forcing-house, train- 



