Delaware gazette. (Wilmington, Del.) 1837-1883, 1861-06-01
Agricultural Department.


InE ToAorO-ITs CULTURE AND PaoFIf PEE
AcRE.-Those persons who are ENGAGED in oalu-
FAuhg the tomato, are Woll are aware how peees-
hry ~ is 70 have them in market early in the sea-
son; delay Of ten days will make great differ
encs IN the proht per acre. As an instance in the
ss,, parI el the tomato season, they frequently
sen from three to four dollars par busheland three
weeks later bring but thirty-seven to iifty cents
Per pushel,. To insure earliness tomato ulants
are transpanted two or three times before pineinr
nen e IN tne held. The tomato is yearly gaming
isSor among all classes. The quantity 0To,yn IN
the vicinity of large cities is astonisbipe gar
aener living few miles from New York, recently
informed mo that his crop last year was 1000
bushels al Of which he sold to one house for nak-
ing catsup. -
when tomatoes are grown for market. the soil
m anu situation should be as favorable as possible
lhey VIII 90 best in a rieh sandy loan, in eooJ
~ enicai condition and kept free from Weeds
lney should have a southern or southeastern OK
Posure' 80 they will have the advantage Of the
IL.o.nng OF mid-day sun. II grown on hill-side
.ney Wlli be protected from the north wind. The
Time Of transplanting to the field varies in difer-
snt localities. We transplant in the beginning of
May, unless cold weather or late frosts continue,
ana II 80, we plant late in the same month. The
Srouna Is marked the same as when furrowing for
corn care being taken 10 keep the rows straight.
II not so arranged, it is more troublesome in tho
after cultivation The plants should be set shree
il aha haif feet apart each way, placing them at
Before removing the plants from the bed, wa
ter freely, SO that bail Of earth will adhere to
tne root Of each plant. Whom this method is
moval. '-s
surprising the ground when marked, to repre-
sent the squares of checker board-a man pro-
eseas DeloIe the planter With a spade, and makes
= small mole on each intersection Tho ,,lanter
then follows and sets one plant in eerb hn1s
Iney should not bo planted deeper than thev were
m the bed-the man then presses tie earth aroune
tne roots OF the plant with both hands, and ),
PLoeeeuS until the peice is finished. Some tomato
growers place forkful Of manure in eaob boie.an
draw the earth around making a sliebt eievstion
ana IN this hill place the plant. We pursued this
pian LOT a number Of years, but have abandoned
y, nhding the othor much better in good ground;
~ poor land tomatoes will not be profitable. Tho
sa,a sanure Of the tomato does not differ from any
other crop practically it is to keep the ground
clean and loose, both of which can be accomplish
horse hoe Fs- '>
The gIound should be frequently disturbed when
tue vines are small. Late in the season tbev will
give shade enough to keep the weed down, When
the iruit has set cut of about niue inches OF the
toP OF the plant they will ripen earlier aud YIELD
more saleable fruit than when net SO treated
some growers mulch the ground With salt hay, or
any o'ner litter when the fruit commences to turn
red' When litter is abundant it is good plan; it
Keeps the fruit clean and facilitates tho gathering
of the crop.
Tomatoes are collected in what are known as
peaeh basketsi they hold about half bushel. A
smart man will gather sixty or seventy such bas-
kets per day. Growers prefer raising tomatoes at
tnrty- seven cents bushe1 to raising po tatoes at
seyonty-hve cents. The amount realized per acre
varies from S10O to $500. When the plants are
placed three and a half feet apart each way, 10
VIII give per acre $3.50 plants and allowing six
quarts OF tomatoes TO each Plant, would be 1880
quarts or 7O5 bushels. At 80 cents per bushel
would be $S67,6O. have frequently picked ten
quarts from one plant, 50 that six quarts is a low
estimate. The expenses Of cultivation need not
exceed S65, leaving good margin for proft,--P.
L. W Working Farmer.
WORKSHOPS ON THE FAnM.--Mueh ns has been
written on this subject, there is room for morc--
1ndeed II seems that much more will have 10 be
written before farmers will appreciate this impor-
tant appendage TO the farm. A shop fttod up 10
BY II (larger would be beter,) well lighted, and
containing a bench feE q vice ioEetheE With scei
iecslon OF carpentdfs TOOLS sS7n,tainr a.t.oit,f
Nv. augers, four chssels, rTseo saws, tki
planes, square, a tri-square, ham mers dr.,,sA
kniie' bit stock and bits, scrawl awi, fiIema,lsA
compass, &c., with places for everything Il rlotl
tne KIND OF shop and tools for a.farm. A7Abop N
the above DESCRIPTION, where the turner and fhis
soIs Gan spend the rainy days, is almost ndispen-
sable on every well regulated farm. There art
rainy Gays enough in each year for the farmer 10
| keep mss premises in good repair without emplov-
ing carpenter,except for the large and important
Jobs, provided, he has a shop with proper and
time.
IL IS too often the that the carpenter,s to,l.
are Dy lar too scarce on the farm a hammer. an
auger or two, and saw, constituting all the car.
penters tools on the farm. And il is nearly al.
ways the ease that the general appearance abe
'ue mouse ana barn indicate this; as for example,
gates on their hinges or broken down boards ol
FENCES, and general slipshod appearance ali oveI
| the farm. ~ "
There is another fact concerning farmers Of thi,
eiass' ana that is the numbers and kinds Of farm.
ing implements, generally correspond with their
carpenters Tools; consequently they are generals
classed among those called poor farmers. On IL.
other hand, farm er who has sons growing n
ABOUT him. II he has shop he need NOT be nj a
loss to find employment for them on rainy dav4
hundred little jobs are constantly waiting 10 bs
done, and besides furnishing employment, which
ls good deal, and giving the place neat AND
tidy aspect by keeping things in repair; his sonl
are receiving invaluable lessons which will be .
! lasting Importance to them. A boy BROUGHT up I,
use the bench and tools becomes, at the hReof six
| teen a carpenter, or at least has acquired suiB
| ciont skill to perform all the rough carpenter',
work on the farm. This has been branch Of ru.
raj economy much neglected by our farmers: bu
am glad to SEQ that the farmers arc taking ncv
interest in this important feature of the farm and
mat the heathenish practice Of converting th,
Kitchen into workshop, is now entirely abolish
ea' D. H. Ep in Country Gentleman. Il
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