The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-07-01
ITAE T0MATOHls KING
in |||I II |: mediterranean !. Nj! K.
SAS Good CropSBring Prosperity.
andS.a Poor One III.
Il Disaster. VI
Disaster.

Especial "a, rhs Times-D ispatchDa
@sHEATHEvrrIE WA, June &.---The
stotnato5crop inSth0y Northern Neck IL fast
nearing harvest time IN some places
sthse5F fruit HI already turning, and In an.
other ten days the first shipments VIII
probably be made. IL IL Sretnarkablegh how
this fruit has taken such q proininent
gplacs In the agricultural interests 8of
this section. Until D few years age the q
where III the Northern Neck..S1 In fact, ur.
gtila recent years III was not cultivated.
anywhere In this country except for IT, ~
beauty, the fruit 1. being regarded l 9,
poisonous Now 1t 10 and has been Tor
stileag past fourI 81; five years, tho best
paying crops In atthis section, md the
souno to which the most attention is paid
by the farmers. The output Of this
crop Ii largerieach year, and the annual
amounts brought Ii ny It are larger than
those brought In by any other single
crop. III Il fact so important has. ~ l
come, that IT. Is now Used largely as e.
standard to Judge the prosperity Of the
country for the season. s5ESs
III the crop promises to #be successful,
general prosperitysi lis predicted IN nearly
every line of business. For not only
does a failure n$$the crop AFFECT the
farmers, but also nearly Reveryaothers line
Of business.
This year, the crop lis In g fair condi-|
&tion and promises to turn out WE'LL SO
precarious Is tho plant, however, and so
dependent Is &it upon the weather cons
6ditions, that 1T can never be foretold
"A presentEthe vines are being injured
considerably sbysg the heavy rains. Should
tits ihcontinuea for any lengthSo OF time, the
crop Is @certaln8t to- becomesa failure. FOn1
kthe Other hand, should the weather set
tile down clear. and q drought set In
Just as the crop Is Srlpening. the fruit
would blister and be unfit for market.
M The plant Is probably harder to- raise
than any other. The seed aareSsown in
sFotbeds early In January. These beds
have to5 be watched over With the great
est care, for should the proper tempera-
tureei be- raised or lowered IN the slightest,
the plants would Sdia EB5
In the early spring, as soon MS danger
from the frosts S. removed, the plants
have to be transplanted from the beds
to the fields Even after this the
above mentioned difficulties have to be
undergone, 80 that the farmers have to
be constantly songsthe watch. NotWith-
standing these difficulties the farmers
perseyered in raising It and the
production Isl steadily growing larger. In
another two weeks.ESWhen the farmers
viii be In the midst . 1.-THE harvest, extra
boats viii have to- be put on the rivers
for transporting the fruit to market Each
day&th ewharves will be piled high With
crates OF the fruit and hours will be
consumed by the steamers In loading.
Plants for the late crop OF tomatoes
are not transplanted fromsthe beds until
late In s$June. This 5oropsls consumed prin-
cipally by the home factories. In the
production II both crops Northumber-
count leads theMother counties OF e
the Northern Neck. The soil In the upper az