which it will do very rapidly.

In pruning the tomato we should allow the central shoot of the young
plant to grow, and remove all of the side shoots which spring from the
axils of the leaves and sometimes even from the fruit clusters, as seen
in Fig. 22. It is very desirable that this be done when the branches are
small, as there is then less danger of seriously disturbing the balance
of the growing forces of the plant, and also because there is less
danger of careless workmen cutting off the main shoot in place of a
lateral, which would seriously check the ripening of the fruit. It is
especially important that any shoots springing from the fruit cluster be
removed as early as possible. For these reasons it is important that, if
the plants are to be pruned at all, the field be gone over every few
days. If the pruning is not well done it is a disadvantage rather than a
help.

[Illustration: FIG. 21--TRAINING TOMATOES IN FLORIDA TO SINGLE STAKE
(Photo by courtesy of Prof. P. H. Rolfs, Director Florida Experiment
Station)]

[Illustration: FIG. 22--TOMATO PLANT TRAINED TO SINGLE STAKE]

[Illustration: FIG. 23--METHOD OF TRAINING TO THREE STEMS IN
FORCING-HOUSE AND OUT OF DOORS]

Some growers allow two or three (Fig. 23) instead of one shoot to grow,
selecting for the second the most vigorous of the shoots starting from
below the first cluster of fruit. In some locations they stop or pinch
out the main shoot just above the first leaf above the third or fourth
cluster; in some soils it is an advantage and in others rather a
disadvantage to do this. I have seldom practiced it. When fruit at the
lowest cost a bushel is the desideratum, neither pruning nor staking is
desirable.

[Illustration: FIG. 24--METHOD OF TRAINING ON LINE IN GREENHOUSE]

[Illustration: FIG. 25--READY TO TRANSPLANT IN GREENHOUSE (Redrawn from
photo by New York Experiment Station)]

[Illustration: FIG. 26--TRAINING YOUNG TOMATOES IN GREENHOUSE AT NEW
YORK EXPERIMENT STATION (Photo by courtesy Prof. U. P. Hedrick)]

=For home gardens.=--In the home garden trellising and pruning are often
very desirable, as they enable us not only to produce more fruit in a
given area but of better quality. Many forms of trellis, have been
recommended. Where the plants are to be pruned as well as supported, as
they should always be in gardens, there is nothing better than the
single stake, as described above. For a trellis without pruning, one
to three stout hoops