Middletown transcript., 1908-05-02
FARMERS TALK OF TOMATO GROWING
Best Methods of Culture Explained al
Sussex Grange Meeting

Sussex Grange Meeting
"Grewing Tomatoes the topic of the
day at the Grange, April eighteenth, was
taken up by the leader, R. G. Begley.
This is very important crop to Delaware
farmers as nearly all of them grow toma-
toes.
1t is NJ. Begley's opinion that this
crop should average net profit of $50
per acre. It is important to have good
seed. He has tried several varieties and
prefers Burpee's Matchless. They hang
on the vines long time without rotting
and are more free from blight than many
sorts. He plants the seed in rich ground,
using chicken manure to fertilize the
seed bed. He marks out furrow five
inches wide with hoe, scatters the seed
thin and covers one-half inch with earth.
When the seed begins to come up he
loosens the ground with a hand rake.
The plants are stronger than when the
seed is sowed thick. The plants are
liable to an early attack of the flea bug
and for this he sprays with bordeaux
mixture and arsenate of lead, practically
keeping them covered with the bordeaux
and spraying thoroughly about two hours
before the plants are set in the field.
With Mr.. Begley early set plants do best.
Those put out the last of May and first of
June give better returns than later set
plants. For the tomato field he prefers
a clover sod, covered with stable manure,
plowed and kept well worked up month
before needed. For phosphates he uses
800 pounds of fish, 800 pounds of rock
and 400 pounds of Muriate of Potash,
applying 800 pounds per acre. The field
should be cultivated from the time the
plants are set until they are too large.
Shallow cultivation when the weather is
dry. He used five loads of manure last
year to the acre and got fraction over
nine tons of tomatoes per acre.
]. j. Rosa likes best a clover sod ma
nured and plowed in the fall. In the
spring manure and plow again and put
on 800 pounds Of fertilizer.
Charles sackett usually sets his plants
late ON the ground where he cuts scarlet
cIover-hay. When he prepares the
ground and sets the plants early he gets
the best yield.
John Short grew eleven and one-half
tons per acre in 1907. He used clover
and timothy sod, manured in the fall and
ploWed early in the spring keeping it
we'll worked up until time to set plants.
Marked the ground both ways with a
three-foot ten-inch marker. Sowed phos-
phate, 400 pounds per acre, down the row
and covered with cultivator. He grew
the Success and liked them.
S. Armour plants seed in we'll manured
ground, in narrow row, so as to get stocky
plants. A. G. Howe inquired the best
way to apply coarse manure and was
advised to use it broadcast and plow
under and use phosphate in the row.
Charles Barker thinks Mr.. Begley's
system a good one and his method OF
keeping young plants covered with bor-
deaux excellent. Mr.. Barker is trying
this year Delaware Beauty and Success.
1t has always been question with Mr..
Barker about fertilizing in the hill. When
be does it, he regrets it, and when be
does not, he wishes he had.
Mr.. Sackett has tried broadcasting and
fertilizing in the hiA. When broadcast
ing only, thought the fruit ripened slowly.
His plan is to broadcast 400 pounds of
phosphate and put 300 pounds in the hill
per acre.
H. R. Lenex suggested that phosphate
be put on top and then cultivated in
when the plants were cultivated. When
nitrate of soda goes down and could be
used this way, other phosphates, espec-
ially fish, give better results if put in the
furrow.-Matord Chronicle.