supported by three stakes so as to surround the
plant which is allowed to grow through and fall over them, or two or
more parallel strips supported about a foot from the ground on each side
of a row of plants answer the purpose, which is simply to keep the plant
up from the ground and facilitate the free circulation of the air among
leaves and fruit.

[Illustration: FIG. 27--TOMATOES IN GREENHOUSE AT OHIO EXPERIMENT
STATION (Photo by courtesy of C. W. Waid)]

I have seen tomatoes grown very successfully by the side of an open
fence. Two stakes were driven into the ground about 6 inches from the
fence and the plant, but slanting outward and away from each other. The
tops of the stakes were fastened to the fence by wooden braces, and then
heavy strings fastened to the fence around the stakes and back to the
fence, the whole with the fence forming a sort of inverted pyramidal
vase about 3 feet across at the top. In this the plant was allowed to
grow, but it would be essential to success that the fence be an open
one.

[Illustration: FIG. 28--FORCING TOMATOES IN GREENHOUSE AT NEW HAMPSHIRE
EXPERIMENT STATION. NOTE CHARACTER OF BED ON THE GROUND FLOOR. (Photo by
courtesy of Prof. H. F. Hall)]

=In the greenhouse.=--Here pruning and training are essential. The
plants may be supported by wires or strings (a coarse wool twine will
answer), twisting the string about the plant as it grows. The growth is
usually confined to a single shoot, though some growers allow two (Fig.
24); the method of pruning does not differ from that given for field
culture, but it is more important that the plants be gone over often
and the branches removed when small. If allowed to do so, branches would
spring from the axil of each leaf and the plant would become a perfect
thicket of slender branches and leaves and produce but little fruit. The
main stem is sometimes pinched out after three or four clusters of fruit
are set and the branch from the axil of the first leaf above is allowed
to take its place. This tends to hasten the maturing of the fruit
clusters already set. After several clusters have matured, or the main
stem reaches the top of the house, some growers allow a shoot from the
bottom to grow and as soon as fruit sets on it the first stem is cut
away and this takes its place. Others prefer to remove the old plant
entirely and set in young ones. A plant ready for transplanting is shown
in Fig. 25. In figures 26, 27 and 28 are shown int