Evening star., 1942-05-24
Tomato Plant
Is Great Aid
Choose FavOrites
From Selection
Now Available
By Laurence and Edna Blair

By Laurence and Edna Blair
OF our garden crops the tomato
is no doubt one of the most univer-
ally favored, and rightly 50. Not
only does it have scores of uses, but
it is fine food because it contains
both vitamins A and B, and when
eaten raw, as it often is during the
summer months, it is one of the most
important sources of vitamin c. II
we'll cared for a dozen plants will
supply enough fruits for the family
table during the growing season,
but as the canned tomato has so
many uses during the winter months
it is best to set out as many as the
garden space permits. Very fine
tomato juice may also be canned at
home, and there are many recipes
for catsup, chilli sauce and green to-
mato pickle. Use should be made Of
the entire crop, especially during
this emergency.
There are many fine varieties now
available, and from these you can
choose your favorites. The early
kinds usually bear smaller and fewer
fruits than some of the later ones,
so it would be better to plant only a
few of the early varieties and set out
more of the late kinds for use from
midsummer till frost. This is one
of the vegetables most easily grown
from seed, and If you have room to
raise your own plants you can be
sure of getting any variety you want
in this way. If you have not grown
your own plants, however, there
are always several good kinds for
sale at this time. In making your
selection be sure to avoid those
whose growth is tall, yellowish and
weak looking; they will not thrive
and are not worth planting In the
garden. Select only the sturdy,
stocky dark green plants.
Select a sunny, well-drained loca-
ton in the garden and supply it
with plenty of humus. Avoid using
too much manure or fertilizer which
Is rich in nitrogen. or the growth
will go too much to the vines and
there will not be many fruits. Bone
meal, super-phosphate and either
sulphate or muriate of potash make
sturdy plants and promote good
yields of fine quality fruits.
The distance between plants de-
pends, of course, on what kinds are
grown and whether or not the vines
are pruned and staked, grown on
supports or allowed to sprawl over
the ground. When pruned to one or
two stems and tied on a stake or
trellis they may be set 18 inches
apart in rows three feet apart. Such
stalking saves space, makes culti-
vation and harvesting easier, keeps
the fruits clean. and by giving them
more light and air helps them to re-
sist disease Also pests are more
easily discovered and combated
when the vines are lifted of the
ground. However, If space Is plen-
tiful and you have very large num-
ber of plants to set out they may be
planted three feet apart each way
and allowed to sprawl on the ground.
As a good supply Of moisture IS
necessary for this crop, practice
clean cultivation.
When frosts are due pull up the
vines by the roots, carry them inside
and hang them UP side down in a
cool place. If small green fruits are
removed the others will ripen grad
ually. If there is no room for the
vines inside. pick off all large green
fruits and lay them out singly on a
bed of straw under glass where they
will ripen gradually and produce
fresh tomatoes into early winter
months.