The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1894-06-21
FARM NOTES
Tomatoes.

During the summer of 1898, 60 varies
ties of tomatoes wete tested upon the
Stations grounds. In the test were
included ABOUT all the new varieties
and several of the old standard varie>
ties for comparison. While the season
was very dry and cut the crop of fruit
very short on all the varieties, yet
some yielded over five pounds of good
fruit per vine and stood the drouth
fairly well. Critical notes cannot be
given in this newspaper article on the
varieties, but the more important
points brought out in the test are here
given. The culture of this vegetable
is becoming an important market crop
in some parts of the state, where it
grows to perfection. In a few places
canning factories are putting up large
quantities.
Varieties the most import
ant thing necessary to success is good
variety. When in the Houston mar
ket The 18th of last June found one
man who sold his tomatoes very rap
idly and realized about % per cent
more for them than the others. On
clos, examination | found he had a
variety none of the Others knew any,
thing about. 1t was the acme, which
seemed to grow to perfection there.
have grown as high as II pounds of
fruit per vine with this variety. The
foliage is sparse and it sets so full of
fruit that they are liable to sun scald.
The drouth cut it short here last
year. Early ruby was one of the
most promising varieties. 1t was
profitable, fruit large, round, light
red, After testing the Tree tomato
several years and in widely different
localities, l think it has no promise
whatever. But the Dwarf Champion
which has the same upright habit of
growth and seldom needs sticking.
was perhaps the most promising early
variety in the whole test. Fruit very
smooth, medium size, solid, purpleish
red; will stand shipping we'll. 1t stood
the drouth best of any.
Growing the Plants-For earliness
and productiveness it is important to
have good stocky plants to 90 into the
field. After growing them in the hot
beds till they get to inches high
they should be transplanted into a
cold frame so that the stalk may grow
heavier and secure a greater mass Of
roots. The plantlet is much better
then prepared to withstand the vicis.
STUDIES of climate. The stem will set
roots as far up as it is placed into the
ground. They may be easily set in
the field by throwing open a furrow
with a turning pillow and laying the
plants along the straight side
OF the furrow and then
bringing dirt back over the roots
with hoe and then pressing it firmly
with the foot. One man in this way
can set several thousand planus with
ease in day. The plants may be kept
from willing much by carrying them
in bucket containing some water and
dropping them in the fresh furrow and
covering Immediately.
Fall crop-After our plants had
stood all summer and were almost
dead, apparently, the 1st of Septem-
Der we cut the old tops off near the
ground, and when the fall rain came
new branches started up and grew off
thriftily AMI bore heavy crop
again till frost If the season
is good, branches can be cut off the
vine and stuck into the ground and
will grow off and bear like the parent
vine. Thus continuous crop can be
grown from early summer till frost In
the fall from the same plants, which is
very important thing for canneries.
A light dressing of straw placed over
the ground before the plants fall and
begin to run serves to keep the fruit
clean and helps to hold the moistute
in the soil. r. H. PRICE,
Texas Experiment Station.