The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-01-30
Notes on Tomato GrowInp

For securing the earliest plants hot beds
are not at all essential in the south, and
they are not used by the best gardeners.
There Is only one crop for which bottom
heat is found TO be advantageous in secur-
ing early plants, namely the sweet potato.
Well managed cold frames are all sufficient
in growing good peppers, egg plants and to-
matoes. The main crop of tomatoes is not
planted in the latitude of Middle Georgia
(33N) before April TO- and seeds sown in cold
frames in early March furnish plants large
enough to set out by that date. A small
planting is usually risked in March from
the Goth to the 18th. but this is generally
endangered by frosts. Now and then there
is no frost severe enough to damage the
plants after March Is, but it will not do TO
depend on this Market gardeners, after
making due preparation for warding off ef-
fects of frost, can plant q patch on March
%, but without such preparation the risk is
COO great.
A few loads OF fine straw distributed at
intervals over the patch of early plantings
render 1t easy to protect the plants, il the
gardener is enough Of a meteorol)gist to
interpret the signs OF weather changes, or
has the benefit OF the signal service warn
ings. Two or three hands, men, boys or
girls, can cover many thousand plants be-
tween 3 and o'clock in the Afternoon, if q
cold wave is threatened. With big cotton
basket a double handful Of straw can be
rapidly put over each plant, and will suffice
TO protect it from an average March frost
in Middle Georgia. The straw should
remain all the following day and
night, and until the Thermometer and
vane indicate a temperature high
enough to preclude frost. In this way
we have safely carried through plants
put out as early as March l. Ordinarily
the cold frames are put in good condition
about Feb. 20. some good old compost being
worked in aud the soil being left in
porous condition. The glass sash Is kept in
for week before the seeds are sown. 80
that the soil may become we'll warmed up.
1t is then leveled and firmed, the seed are
sown in shallow drills four or five inches
apart, and the soil pressed firmly upon
them. The soil is then moistened with
moderately warm water and the sash re-
placed. In a week or SO the plants will be
we'll up, and in two weeks more large
enough to be transferred to other frames
protected with cloth instead of glass. The
little plants are set 3 by inches apart and
allowed to remain until stocky and we'll de-
veloped for transferring to the open ground.
This extra trAnsplanting for the amount Of
time involved will pay a tremendous profit
in the end.
Ii by any mischance the plants have be-
come in any way spndling, it is we'll to
pinch off the ends when transferring to the
open ground. Transferring the plants with
balls OF earth is commended This is not
always practicable; and generally the roots
are dipped IL grCut of clay dust and cow
manure, to which little kerosene has been
added and we'll stirred in. The soil is
pressed firmly to the roots and plants set a
little deeper than they grew in the BEDS
For the large growing sort put the rows
four feet apart and the plants three feet.
This gives $3.50 plants per acre, which, I'M
der favorable conditions, produce 200 10 500
bushels of merchandise tomatoes