LESSONS ON TOMATOES FOR RURAL SCHOOLS. 9 
LESSON FIVE. 
TOPIC: PLACE OF TOMATOES IN THE ROTATION. 
MONTH! SEPTEMBER OR OCTOBER. 
Lesson outline. — Tomatoes should not be grown on the same land 
year after year, as some diseases live over winter in the soil and 
injure the new crop. The soil should be kept in good condition by 
including in the rotation leguminous crops. Potatoes, eggplants, and 
peppers should not follow tomatoes, as some of the same diseases 
affect all these plants. A cover crop of crimson clover, rye, or oats 
and vetch should follow the tomato crop. A crop of beans, peas, 
cabbage, or corn should precede tomatoes. 
Study questions. — Why should tomatoes not be grown on the same 
land year after year? What insect pests and diseases of tomatoes 
are found in the community ? What place does the tomato occupy 
in the rotation practiced in the community. Name a good rotation 
course including tomatoes for a garden or a small plat; for field 
crops. 
References. — Farmers' Bui. 642, p. 3. Write to the State college of 
agriculture for suggestions as to a rotation including tomatoes. 
Practical exercises. — Club members and pupils with home work 
should plant on their plats a cover crop of crimson clover, rye, or 
oats and vetch. 
Correlations. — Written work is provided in preparing statements of 
rotation courses. 
Drawing. — Have members of the class draw to scale an outline of a 
plat of ground containing three-tenths of an acre. Make three divi- 
sions of this and indicate on the divisions the crops of a three-year 
rotation including tomatoes. 
Arithmetic: If the plat containing three-tenths of an acre is 36, 
yards wide, how long is it? How many square feet in a tenth of an* 
acre? If a tenth of an acre is 33 feet wide, what is -its length? 
LESSON SIX. • - . , . 
t * 
TOPIC: HOTBED AND COLD FRAME. 
%: ' 
MONTH: JANUARY OR FEBRUARY. 
Lesson outline. — Hotbed: The advantages of the hotbed- are:'(l) 
Tender plants may be started early; (2) tender plants started "in the 
hotbed have the start of weeds when transplanted; (3) early vege- 
tables are made possible; and (4) plants grown to considerable size in 
hotbed are not so subject to attacks of insects and diseases. 
The points to be observed in locating the hotbed are (1) nearness 
to the water supply, (2) convenience to garden and farm buildings, 
(3) protection from cold winds by buildings, fences, or hedges, 
and (4) good drainage with southern or- southeastern exposure. 
The materials used in making a hotbed are (1) manure, a good pro- 
portion of which should be fresh and so thoroughly mixed as to be 
47093°— Bull. 392—16 2 
