It  is  important  that  the  manure  be  so  well  rotted  that
it  will  not  heat,  and  so  dry  that  it  will  not  become
pasty  when  tramped  into  a  firm,  level  layer.  On  this
they  place  a  layer  of  nearly  3  inches  deep  of  rich,
friable,  moderately  compact  soil  and  prick  out  the
plants  into  this.  The  roots  soon  bind  the  manure  and
soil  together  and  by  cutting  through  the  manure  so  as
to  form  blocks  one  can  carry  the  plants  to  the  fields
with  but  very  little  disturbance  of  the  root.
Cloth  covers  for  beds  should  be  made  of  heavy,  un-
bleached sheeting  or  light  duck,  and  it  is  better  that
the  selvage  run  up  and  down  the  bed  rather  than
lengthwise.  The  cloth  is  'torn  into  lengths  of  about
13  feet  and  then  sewn  together  with  a  narrow  double-
stitched  flat  seam  so  as  to  form  a  sheet  13  feet  wide
and  about  8  inches  longer  than  the  bed.  The  edges  are
tacked  every  foot  to  the  strips  about  2  inches  wide  by
%  inch  thick  with  beveled  outside  edges  and  laid  per-
fectly in  line.  A  second  line  of  strips  is  then  nailed
to  the  first  so  as  to  break  joints  with  it  and  so  that  the
two  will  form  a  continuous  roller  about  a  foot  longer


56  TOMATO    CULTURE

than  the  bed  with  the  edge  of  the  curtain  firmly  fas-
tened in  its  center.  The  center  of  the  curtain  is  se-
cured to  the  central  ridge  of  the  bed  by  strips  of  lath.
