The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1902-03-25
TOMATOES FOR PROFIT.

Tomatoes are nearly always q
profitable crop. Last year they were
especially So, and brought higher
priees than usual. This was prin.
cipalIy due so the drought in July
which was so severe in the West,
and extended over a very large part
of the country.
Fortunately for us our tomatoes
were where they could be irrigated.
Our crop was unusually good and we
sold 5000 worth from one and a half
acres of early tomatoes. Our efforts,
however, were not confined TO the
early crop; we had three different
paintings, n early, one medium,
and one late. The two latter were
out short by the heavy rains in
August, and our gross receipts from
these we're only about 500 per acre.
EARLY CROP PAYS BEST
The early crop is almost always
the most profitable with Us, first be,
d it meets with a better demand
and consequently higher prices, and
second, because the yield is larger.
The plants for this crop r started
in the green house in January. The
seed is sown thiokly in flats, and as
soon as the plants become large
enough to handle, they are pricked
of into other flats and set about one
by two inches apart. If they show
a tendency TO grow too tall, the tops
are sheared off. About the fret of
March they are again transplanted
into GOLD frames under glass and set
four inches apart each way, and
about the middle of April are finally
removed TO open ground.
Before building our green house
we had very good success by sowing
our seed in a hot bed under glass in
February and transplanting from it
TO the frames. The plants should be
In a hardened off by strip
ping off the glass about q week be-
fore the final transplanting, being
careful TO re cover them at night if
threatened with frost.
BUT DON'T HURRY.
There is nothing to be gained by
being in too big a hurry TO get the
plants set in the field. Last spring
the weather was very unfavorable
and we waited until the first of May
before setting our plants in open
ground. Even then we we're first of
the local gardeners TO put tomatoes
on the Atlanta market. Many of
our competitors had their plants set
out two weeks before we did, but d
heavy cold wind put them back and
they were slow TO recover.
THE BEST SOIL.
The best soils for tomatoes is a
light sandy loan. Is should be thor
oughly broken and fined before
planting and if subject to the blight
an application of lime is advisable. 1
wish to state here that last year our
tomatoes we're planted on land where
three years before the tomato plants
had suffered badly from this fungous
disease which is known as the South.
T blight. Last year, however, 1
do not remember seeing a single
plant affected in this manner. We
had taken the precaution to apply
about fifty bushels of finely Stacked
lime per acre about a month before
the land was plowed.
We have found it advisable TO give
our tomato plants plenty of room in
the field. The vines set more fruit
and 1t is larger and of better quality
We lay off our rows five feet apart
for all varieties except the Dwarf
Champion, and others Of the same
GLASS, which can be set in four foot
rows two and one-half feet apart.
The larger varieties should be set
not closer than three feet apart in
the row.
FERTILIZERS.
The fertilizer for tomatoes should
be applied in the drill in a broad
band and thoroughly mixed with the
soil before setting the plants. This
fertilizer should be of high grade
and analyze about as follows: Am.
monia 5 per cent, available phos-
phOrio acid 6 per cent. and potash 2
per cent, and should be applied a.
the rate of 1000 pounds per acre.
The above can be made by combin-
ing thoroughly 625 pounds of tank
age, LOO pounds bone meal, and 275
pounds muriate of potash to make u
ton.