Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1875-06-17
agricultural department.
TOMATOES AS A FARM CROP.

Within the memory of many, tomatoes
were almost unknown. A few were grown in
gardens as an ornament under the name of
"love apples" but scarcely anybody thought
the fruit fit to eat. Almost everybody has
had their time learning to like tomatoes, but
the vegetable has fairly fought its way to pop
ular favor, as is seen in the fact that a major
ity of young children of the present day like
tomatoes the first time of eating them. Now
thousands of acres are grown for market
around all our large cities, and few plants
are found in most farmers gardens Large
establishments are engaged for weeks canning
tomatoes for winter use The price paid by
these establishments is usually low; but they
take the surplus Of the crop after prices for
the earliest have declined. Take it altogether
the crop is generally profitable, even on high
priced lands near cities where it is usually
grown. It will bear transportation some dis
tance with careful handling, and is crop
which many farmers might pro6tably cult
vate on a small scale. 1t does not demand
very rich ground, nor as field crop any bet
ter care than should be given to corn or pota.
toes. A larger average yield can be got in
tomatoes than in potatoes, and the average
price is generally higher. The richer the
ground the larger the crop; but it is also
little later and the price lower. A two-year-
old clover sod, we'll plowed under in May, is
rich enough for field crop, if a little well
rotted stable manure is put under each hill
at planting time. There is no need of great
er expense in after culture than for potatoes,
excepting in harvesting and marketing. To-
matoes are taken to market in baskets instead
of in bulk, and hence less can be carried in
wagon load than of potatoes.
The plants should be started early in hot
bed and transplanted at least once twice
would be better, before putting into open
ground. This transplanting is important to
secure stocky growth, and induces early
fruitfulness. The transplanting also causes
numerous fine roots, which save the plant
from injury at the time when set into the open
field and when rapid, vigorous growth is most
important. A we'll rooted "stubby" plant,
twice transplanted. is we'll worth dozen that
have grown up without moving in the seed bed.
If no better way is feasible, clip the tops and
shorten the roots, as they grow, by passing
knife between the rows. This will serve near
ly as good purpose as the first transplanting,
which must be done very carefully to avoid
loss. It is not worth while to set in the open
field until the ground has become quite warm.
Hathaway's Excelsior and Early Smooth
Red are reliable sorts for field cultivation.
For very early, Hubbard's Curled Leaf is best
but it is light cropper, and the very early
market is soon filled. Any one attempting to
grow tomatoes by the acre will be likely to
get fancy prices for only a very few as extra
early. There is generally better later mar
ket-toward the last of the season, and for
this there is no superior to the Trophy. 1ti
smooth, fine feshed and productive. Both
the Trophy and Hathaway's Excelsior require
richer soil than the Smooth Red, and they
are also rather moro productive. Grown as a
field crop, tomatoes, with fair cultivation, will
yield from 300 to 900 bushels per acre. The
price varies so widely that no reliable estimate
can be made of the product, but any one
knowing the usual prices in his vicinity, can
readily judge whether it would prove pay
ing one. know that generally market gar
deners have made much larger profits from
tomatoes than most farmers are forced to be
content with for their usual farm crops.-Cor.
Country Gentleman.