Garclen |lotes for 1893. 
(Home Station, Fort Collins, Colorado.) 
By Chas. S. Crandall, and M. J. Hufpington. 
TOMATOES. 
Sowing the Seed .—Seed should be sown in forcing-house or hot¬ 
beds by the first of March ; the last week in February would, doubt¬ 
less, not be any too early. As we generally have a cutting frost in 
this locality from the 10th to the 15th of September, every effort should 
be made to force the plants as much as possible, so that the bulk of 
the crop will be off before that time. For the south where the season 
is longer, we would still recommend giving the plants an early start. 
To realize the best results we should have strong, stocky plants, and 
to accomplish this strict attention should be given to regulating the 
heating, airing, and watering. All the conditions should be as 
uniform as possible; an even temperature should be aimed at and 
water should be applied at regular intervals, the forenoon being the 
best time. The water used should not be too cold; the sudden chill 
resulting from the application of ice-cold water is very injurious to 
the plants. On bright, pleasant days the plants should have plenty 
of air and as the season advances the exposure should be increased, 
so that when the plants are transferred to the open ground the 
change will not be felt by them. Care should be taken at all times 
that the plants do not get chilled from a sudden fall in temperature ; 
the check in growth resulting from any such sudden change affects 
the plants for some time and greatly retards their development. 
Transplanting once or twice before being taken from the beds 
to open ground is conducive to a more stocky growth and a better 
root system. The time for removing plants to open ground must be 
governed by experience in particular localities. In this latitude 
plants for extra early fruit may be set between the 15th and 25th of 
May. Do not plant the entire crop so early that a late frost might 
kill the plants; it is a good plan to hold some plants in reserve for 
replacing those that may receive injury from frost. 
