148 



FRUIT GARDEN COMPANION, 



with the ball earth entire into the centre of the ma- 

 nure, closing it well round the roots ; this done, 

 place a wisp of straw, hay or long grass, around the 

 stem, to protect the plant from wind, frost or other 

 accidental causes that may injure it; or, some 

 short litter or horse-dung may be thrown around the 

 stems to protect the plants. 



The plants being thus planted, the ground be- 

 tween the rows requires to be kept clear and well 

 w r orked, similar to Indian corn or the potato. 



It is a great error of many persons, to force the 

 tomato in a deep rich soil, in order to ripen the fruit 

 early. This is altogether incorrect, as the luxu- 

 riant state of the plants puts it into a state quite 

 the reverse to that of fruiting ; for, when this 

 is the case, the thick leafy state of the vines shades 

 and prevents the fruit from ripening, besides collect- 

 ing moisture in a manner that the fruit and leaves 

 cannot dry freely, and eventually rot and decay. 



Many persons grow the tomato against boarded 

 fences, trellisses, &c, on a south aspect, where they 

 are trained in the manner of fruit trees, by thinning 

 out the shoots and tieing or nailing them to the fence 

 or trellis. In this management care must be taken 

 that the soil is not too rich that the tomato is plant- 

 ed into, nor that the vines are allowed to run too 

 thickly together, either will prevent the fruit from 

 ripening. 



