The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-03-22
Agricultural Department
CONDUCTED BY FULTON $. WHITE.

- > Nv o. VIII I e
/ is made of subsoiling. This. however. is
unnecessary except where the subsoil is
| Of a hard, impervious character, or where
| the soil has a hard gravel subsoil.
| Where either of these soil conditions pre-
walls the use of the subsol pillow would
be of great benefit.
Then again, on the question of fertiliz-
ers l wish to say that care must be used
| in not getting too much nitrogen in the
fertilizer, as this will induce too great
a growth of stock and STEM and also will
destroy much of the pollen, thus greatly
reducing the yield of the fruit. Never
frame or tie up the tomato vine unless
| earliness is the foremost consideration;
and since the introduction of the tree to-
mato | do not any longer prune or tie
up even for earliness. Where planting
for the early market one should use the
Red Dwarf Champion, which is now the
earliest of all good tomatoes. This new
hed Dwarf Champion now his a long felt
want among tomato growers, where
growing for shipment; for heretofore
nearly all our extra early sorts have been
too small and the skin too tender for
bearing long shipments. These objections
have all been removed by the introduction
of this new Red Dwarf Champion. This
variety is a cross between our old Dwarf
Champion and the Stone varieties that all
ou- growers are familiar with This new
variety has the size and color of the
Stone, bears well throughout the season,
holding its size well up to the last; also
has tough, thick skin, which fits 1t as
fine variety to grow for shipping pur-
poses.
Planting and Cultivation.
Now | will lead the reader step by
$50
used, not only in growing this premium
crop but the method used for all my to-
mato crops. Use common outdoor hot
| beds, the making of which most all gar
| deners understand using ordinary glass
sash three by six feet. While the reader
may be well versed in making hot beds,
yet 1t is well to mention a few points
| about preparing these beds for tomato
plants.
| l find the deep bed far the best, and
beds with heating material placed under
| ground much better than those built
| above the ground, for the beds under
| ground hold the heat much longer-a very
essential thing for tomatoes. Then these
! beds should be made deep. Use not less
| than three feet of fresh stable manure.
we'll trodden down, and coming up only
a few inches above the surface.
A deep bed not only holds the heat
! longer after the bed once becomes thor
oughly heated, but will be more uniform
throughout The next important thing is
to have plenty OF good rich dirt. using not
less than six to eight inches. Lay the dirt
on as soon as the bed Is made. put on the
| sash, close up tight and let 1t remain
! closed until the bed becomes thoroughly
hot. then open and let the rank heat es-
&C pc. ! have had beds thus closed up for
a week before heatinf
Sowing the Seed.
1t is of the utmost Importance to know
when and how to SOW the seed on the
beds. l will give you my rule Always
wait until the weed and grass seed in the
dirt get good start, then take a fine
steel-tooth rake and work the soil until
all young weeds and grass which have
started have been destroyed and the soil
made perfectly fine. Then commence at
one end of the bed to SOW the seed. The
seed should always be sown north and
south across the beds. in drills six inches
apart. Make the drills from one to two
inches deep, sow the seed thin. and with
the back of the hand press the seed firm
| ~ In the soil and cover with fine soil, and
| Nhen the sowing of the bed is completed
take board and press the soil firmly
over the seed. This part of the opera ton
| is OF the greatest Importance in order to
secure quick and even termination
! BY this arrangement of planting. and
with a good hot bed hoe made especially
Tor the purpose the plants can be well
| worked right from the start This way
! we VIII be able to secure good. strong.
| healthy plants. which is of the greatest
| Importance. Here Is where comes in fine
, great secret of success In tomato growing
mat Is the matter Of securing good
| sur ing. stocky. well-rooted plants-which
IS aiI important In growing for shipment.
as It Is only from such plants that fire
early tomatoes may be grown
Great care must be taken to NOT Sou
the seed too thick. and where this has
peen done the young plants must be
| 'hnheu out at once. The watering is a
very important matter, and great care
must.be taken in this to prevent dampine
on. Cold water out of wells or springs
should never be used, but let IT rain on
.he oeds when possible, for this is far
petter than watering by hand. As to the
'inie Vi Inc season to SOW the seed de-
| pehos entirely upon the locality.
Now | could never see anv economv
wisdom or time gained by sowing tomato
seed four months before time to s.. in
open feld as is often done. One should
! Always reckon to plant the seed about
| eisht weeks before the time to set In
/ pen neid, and this Is ample time to get
| an the growth needed on the plants IA
~ pest not TO commence until time ia
hurry the plants right along from the
day they come up until set In open field
rants started and dwarfed never do az
wei. When the plants get up of suffi.
elent size move them to cold frames. But
the plants must get strong before moving
| ABOUT four inches high and well hard
ened. Here is how to prepare cold frames
Tor tomato plants. Dig pits twelve inches
deep and tramp these full of fresh stahIe
manure. Now a few words on the KIND
CT manure which should be used for hott
the hot beds and cold frames. Mannro o.,
this purpose should contain a liberal SIM
| ply of a mixture Of straw or char
Manure from stables where a ,ihorot
! amount OF oat straw is used for beddine
is far the best This should he wa1
| lorked over several times before using
IN oroer 10 nave 1t we'll mixed. Care must
| pc taken that the manure must not hurr
before using, for where 1t becomes ovar'
| heated and burned 1t is worthless for bo,
pea purposes. On this manure put six
10 elght inches of dirt, the same as for
ehe not peds close up and let heat Then
open up and let the rank heat pass off
the same as for the hot beds. Work the
soil as fine as for seeding.
The dirt used for the cold frame need
hot be as rich as that used for the ho,
bed, for the reason that the hardening of,
process should commence as soon "a the
plants are started on the cold frames
Mark on these beds, set ethe plants In