efer to grow their plants in
that way.

CHAPTER X

Starting Plants

This has been the subject of a vast amount of horticultural writing, and
the practice of different growers, and in different sections, varies
greatly. I give the methods I have used successfully, together with
reasons for following them, but it may be well for the reader to modify
them to suit his own conditions and requirements.

=Largest yield.=--Some 45 to 50 days before plants can be safely set in
the open field the flats in which the seed is to be sown should be
filled with light, rich, friable soil, it being important that its
surface be made perfectly level, and that it be compact and quite moist,
but not so wet as to pack under pressure. Sow the seed in drills 3/8
inch deep and 2 to 3 inches apart at the rate of 10 to 20 to the inch;
press the soil evenly over them, water and place in the shade in an even
temperature of 80 to 90 deg. F. As soon as the seeds begin to break soil,
which they should do in three to four days, place in full light and
temperature of 75 to 80 deg., keeping the air rather close so as to avoid
necessity of watering. After a few days reduce the temperature to about
65 deg. and give as much air as possible. Some growers press a short piece
of 2-inch joist into the soil of the benches, so as to form trenches 2
inches wide and about 3/8 inch deep, and so spaced as to be under the
center of each row of glass, their sash being mostly made of five-inch
glass. In this, by using a little tin box with holes in the top, like
those of a pepper-box, they scatter seeds so that they will be nearly
1/8 to 1/4 inch apart, over the bottom of the 2-inch wide trench, and
then cover. This has the advantage of evenly spacing the plants and so
locating the rows that the plants will be little liable to injury from
drip.

Young tomato plants are very sensitive to over-supply of water and some
of the most successful growers do not water at all until the plants are
quite large and then only when necessary to prevent wilting. In 10 to 15
days, or as soon as the central bud is well started, the plants should
be pricked out, setting them 3 to 6 inches apart, according to the size
we expect them to reach before they go into the field; 5 inches is the
most common distance used. I think it better to set the full distance
apart at first, not to transplant a second time. It is very important
that this pricking out should be done when the plan