TOMATOES IN SOUTH JERSEY. 
How the Crop is Grown. 
Whether tomatoes arc !grown for home use, local 
market, or distant markets, it is desirable that they 
commence ripening their fruit early in the season, 
and that the crop be large.. The first essential in the 
production of an early crop and large yield is the 
securing of large, well-grown plants at the proper 
time for transplanting. To this end, the seeds are 
sown in a hotbed at least seven weeks before the plants 
in the forenoon; and finally during the night as well. 
The water supply should be diminished a few days 
before the transplanting, in order that the plants may 
be making a slow, hard growth, rather than a ram¬ 
pant, sappy growth, at the time they are placed in 
the open field. If handled in this way, the plants 
start growth more quickly in the field, and very few 
are lost in changing the conditions. ' 
In removing the plants from the bed, we cut the 
soil into squares, with a plant in the center of each 
square, and then carefully lift the blocks of soil by 
land has been furrowed out both ways, the loose soil 
is scooped from the intersections by means of a hoe, 
making for each plant a hole about 10 inches across. 
In this a good-sized handful of fertilizer is scattered 
just before the setting of the plant. The kind of fer¬ 
tilizer used is 4-7-9, which we have put up for the sole 
purpose. Sometimes stable manure -is used in the 
hills, but more often it is applied broadcast before 
being plowed. The best tomato fields that we have 
ever seen were manured broadcast and fertilized to 
the hill before being planted. 
SCENE IN A FLORIDA TOMATO FIELD. STAKED TOMATOES. Fig. 28. 
are needed. As soon as the seedlings have made their 
first pair of leaves, and before they become spindling, 
they should be transplanted to another hotbed, being 
placed about three inches apart each way. After growing 
here for two weeks, and before they begin to crowd 
badly, they should be shifted to a cold frame, in which 
they are placed five inches apart. Here they develop 
large root systems and strong stocky tops that will 
stand erect when the plants are placed in the field. 
As the time for transplanting approaches, the plants 
should be gradually accustomed to more and more 
severe outdoor conditions, by leaving off the sash 
means of a spade, and place them on a low wagon 
for transportation to the field. In the field they are 
again lifted with a spade, and placed in holes pre¬ 
viously prepared for them. The earth is filled in about 
the plants by means of a hoe. The way we prepare 
a field for tomatoes does not differ materially from its 
preparation for corn, except that after being plowed 
and pulverized it is furrowed out for the reception 
of the plants. The furrows are made four feet apart 
each way. 
Except in the case of rich soils, it is also customary 
to apply fertilizers or manure to the hills. After the 
Before we plant our fields to tomatoes we plow 
down one crop of cow peas and two crops of clover, 
and then in the Winter we top-dress the land with 
well-rotted stable manure before we plow it in the 
early Spring. The time of transplanting to the field 
varies somewhat with the season, but in general it may 
be said as a rule to follow closely upon the time of 
planting early corn. The earlier it can be done with¬ 
out the risk of losing the plants by frost, the earlier 
the crop will be, and more money made by shipping 
early. Cultivation should begin as soon as the plants 
are set. The early tillage should be deep and -close 
