— ul) 
| 
| 
| 
340 QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. [1 May, 1901 
T hear some reader say, “Oh! but anybody can grow tomatoes,” and git 
is quite true ; they will grow themselves, in fact, if you only plant them—thly 
however, is not the way to produce either quantity or quality ; and itis quant i 
combined with quality that pays in most things. We will, therefore, seb as! A 
slipshod methods, and come to a simple yet scientific method {that will 9% 
exceptionally fine fruits and plenty of them. 
SEED SOWING. 1 
Having made w good selection, sow in boxes or pots. 1 find boxes much t : 
best. The tomato is a considerable time in coming into fruiting from S¢ 
lings; therefore, sowing should be arranged for in good time, and the boxes may 
conveniently be about 4 inches deep. Into the boxes put half-an-inet of 
drainage, such as cinders, and on this a couple of inches of good garden 80 
a light sandy nature. Now make up a mixture of fine soil and thoroug' fil 
decomposed manure and leaf soil in equal parts; mix all well together, an 
in the boxes to within half-an-inch of the tops. Firm regularly and moderate): 
and make all perfectly level with a piece of planed board, and water He ci 
soil, They are now ready for sowing, which should be done carefully. +" 
tomato seed is a large one, and it will be much the best plan to place each * é 
separately about half-an-inch apart; in this way every seed will have :, 
individual chance, and come up strong, much superior to a box sown at rat a a 
and generally much too thick. Having carefully placed the seed, sift some PY 
soil over it to a depth of two-eighths of an inch; give another light water 
and transfer boxes to some dark warm place, until the seed has germinal iN, 
carefully watching the while that the soil in the boxes does not get dry- the 
soon as germination is seen to be ensuing, the boxes may be transferred 0” | 
open absolutely free from shade. } 
PRICKING OFF THE SEEDLINGS. het 
As soon as the seedlings are strong with a pair of good leaves and anot * 
pair in progress, they should be pricked off into other boxes somewhat deep ; 
Ordinary kerosene boxes cut in half answer well. Here, however, the prev!” 
proceedings should be reversed as regards soil, and the rich mixture of man ; 
light sandy loam, and leaf should go into the box first; and there may 
advantage be two-fourths of manure, one of leaf soil, and one of loam ge 
depth of half the box; on top of this any good light friable 9% 
soil will do. Into this mixture, transplant the seedlings 3 inches apart; * 
for afew days, and then transfer full into the sun. Attend carefully : 
watering, and allow the plants to grow unrestrictedly until the boxes are Pl i} 
full of roots—in fact, what the horticulturist terms “ slightly root UN 
There is a distinct object in this—namely, to induce the plants to show a 
much earlier than they otherwise would do so; but the moment the buds 
be seen it will be time to consider their permanent quarters. _ j 
PREPARATION FOR PERMANENT PLANTING. 
Now the man that can grow good potatoes should also be able to groW 8 wif 
tomatoes, and if the soil is known to be a good potato soil it will for certal™®” 
tomatoes admirably. For, in spite of the very great difference betwee tf 
ia tuber and a tomato fruit, there is in all other respects a close sim 
etween the potato plant and the tomato plant, so much so that one  { 
grafted quite successfully on to the other and vice versd, and the potato P's. 
will in this way yield a crop of potatoes below ground and tomatoes ab0V’ 4 
Furthermore, the tomato, like the potato plant, demands abundance of Pees? 
for its vigorous existence, and also ike the potato it is a very fine and pr? oll 
rooter ; therefore, hard lumpy soil is ill-adapted to its requirements. hee ot 
should, therefore, be thoroughly cultivated to the depth of at least 1 fora 
more, and be fine mealy soil, in order that the fine roots may move tf 
through it and abstract all they require in the early stages of the plants: 
