426 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



gardens, the supply of home-grown fruit is insufficient to meet 

 the growing demand. Large quantities are imported from the 

 Channel Islands in summer, and from the Canary Islands 

 during the winter months. If a sufficient quantity of home- 

 grown fruit could be obtained, there is no doubt whatever it 

 would be eaten in preference to that which is imported, because 

 it is incomparably better. 



Tomatos are amongst the most easily grown and accommo- 

 dating plants in cultivation ; but in order to obtain the maximum 

 amount of fruit that they are capable of producing their require- 

 ments must be thoroughly understood and carefully attended 

 to. The grower who can devote a house exclusively to them is 

 in a much better position for obtaining the best possible results 

 than one who has to grow them in houses in which there is a 

 mixed collection of plants. During the summer months a 

 supply may be obtained from plants grown in the greenhouse or 

 plant-house after the majority of the legitimate occupants are 

 placed outside. 



A fair measure of success may be obtained by growing them 

 in ordinary garden frames. The frames should have a sharp 

 pitch towards the south, in order to obtain as much sunshine as 

 possible. A narrow ridge of soil, eight inches deep and the 

 same in width, should be placed along the inside front of the 

 frame. The plants should be put in one foot apart, and confined 

 to a single stem : these should be supported on laths or wires 

 stretched from end to end of the frame at about eight inches 

 below the glass and the same distance apart. 



For a period of from three to four months — commencing at the 

 end of May — Tomatos will grow most luxuriantly outside, and 

 many of the smaller fruited varieties will set their fruit very 

 freely in this part of Cheshire, but comparatively few fruits 

 attain maturity. Unless the green fruit can be used for home 

 consumption, it is comparatively worthless, as at present it is 

 not a marketable commodity. 



Method of Cultivation. 



To provide an early summer supply, the seed should be 

 sown towards the end of November. Use well-drained pots or 

 boxes, filled to within one inch of the top with a compost of 

 loam, leaf soil, and sand in equal proportions. The compost 



