SUMMER SALADINGS. 



13 



and then there will be less likelihood of snapping them when 

 training. If not already done, stop the plants beyond the 

 second rough leaf, and train the four resulting shoots two up 

 and two down the bed, stopping these again at the fourth joint. 

 In this way abundance of fruiting haulm will be obtained, none 

 of which should be allowed to travel far before it is stoppedr 

 otherwise much haulm will have to be cut out occasionally 

 which represents so much wasted energy. In the meantime 

 more soil should have been placed in the front of the frame or 

 pit, as the case may be, to warm through, in readiness for dis- 

 tributing lightly over the roots as these spread outwards and 

 onwards, a thin layer eventually covering the whole of the bed. 

 Never let the plants suffer for want of water, and never use 

 cold water. Ventilate from the back, sparingly at first, never 

 admitting rushes of cold air. Shade lightly from strong sun- 

 shine, removing it in the afternoon and gradually reducing the 

 air, and closing after watering or freely syringing the plants in 

 time for the temperature to run up to about 90°. Cover the 

 frames with mats during cold nights and renew the heat in the 

 bed by means of linings of prepared manure, this being especially 

 needed during dull summers. The fruits must be kept cut 

 closely whether wanted for use or not, as the leaving them on 

 the plant after they are fully grown causes a needless strain. 



Tomatos are a great improvement to a summer salad, though 

 they are more often eaten by themselves with simple dressings 

 only. They are at their best directly they are cut from the 

 plants, losing acidity and richness of flavour according as they 

 become soft and flabby. Ked varieties are, as a rule, superior to 

 yellow ones in point of flavour, but the latter add to the appear- 

 ance of a salad, and the variety Blenheim Orange is of good 

 quality too. House-grown Tomatos are generally to be pre- 

 ferred to those ripened in the open air, though when we have 

 American summers the quality of the latter is by no means to 

 be despised. In order to have ripe Tomatos in June strong 

 plants ought to be ready for planting out or shifting into 

 fruiting pots early in March, and it need hardly be added that a 

 considerable amount of fire-heat will have to be expended over 

 them. They will give early and heavy crops if trained up 

 narrow span-roofed houses. A narrow ridge of good loamy soil 

 will be sufficient for them, placing the plants 15 inches or rather 



