Cultural work during the growing season consists of removing the side shoots which appear in the axils of the tall upright growing varieties. Rub them out when about 2 inches long. On no account leave them until they get very hig and have to be cut out with a knife as this only takes the strength away from the plant. Pinch the top out, when four trusses have been made, one or two leaves above the last truss. 96
Multi-Stem Method.
This method produces the heaviest crops of all and as much as 301bs. per plant can be gathered from plants trained in this way. For these it is necessary to put up strong wires between posts with the wires 6-8 inches apart in the same way as wires are arranged for fruit trees. The plants are planted 4 feet apart and when they are a foot high the tops are pinched out and four or five side growths are trained fanwise on the wire. These in turn are stopped after four trusses have been made on each. Trained in this way, as many as 16-20 trusses on one plant are possible but, of course, to produce this weight of fruit extra food must be given. Tall varieties can be used for training in this way and excellent results have also been obtained with the variety Stonors Dwarf Gem. The reader must be warned, however, that this method is only practicable below a rough line drawn across the country starting at the Yorkshire-Lincolnshire boundary. Feeding should be adjusted according to the growth made, which in turn depends on the fertility of the soil, and season. A rough guide, however, is that if the stems are thick and the leaves lush, the plants will not require any fertilisers. Watering with loz. of sulphate of potash once or twice during the season will, however, tend to check exhuberant growth and improve the quality of the fruit.
Watering with superphosphate at the same rate when the fruit is of usable size will accelerate ripening. For normal purposes, weak liquid manure made by suspending animal droppings in a tub of water, given at fortnightly intervals, or alternatively about four applications of a good organic tomato fertilizer during the season will produce a good crop.
Raising Plants.
Nothing hasbeen said so far about raising plants which is normally done by sowing seeds in a heated greenhouse from December onwards for earliest crops under glass, up to August when plants are raised in a cold frame for winter fruiting.
For many people this is not a worthwhile proposition as It entails the maintaining of a temperature of IO-13"C for a long period. Plants raised under. cooler conditions from seed sown in April will be suitable for outside culture, as the hardier they are raised the less will be the shock and check to growth when they are planted in the open garden. Where plants are bought from a nurseryman it is strongy ad~l~ed that an order be placed several months ahead.
Do this In wnung and state clearly for what purpose they are required, warm greenhouse, unheated greenhouse, or outdoors, giving the date on whl~h they are required. This will greatly assist. the nurseryman and will enable him to arrange his programme With the greatest benefit to the customer. Avoid if possible, the casual last minute purchase of plants from a shop or market stall for if tomato plants are chilled they will take weeks to recover even under the best of conditions.
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