Milford chronicle. [volume] (Milford, Del.) 1878-1974, 1908-04-24
MEMBERS DISCUSS THE
TOPIC TOMATO GROWING

Growing Tomatoes" the topic Of
the day at the Grange, April eighteenth,
was taken up by the leader, R. &. Beg.
ley. This is a very important crop to
Delaware farmers as nearly all OF them
grow tomatoes.
It is Mr.. Begley's opinion that this
crop should average a net profit Of
$50 per acre. It is important to have
good seed. He has tried several varie-
ties and prefers Burpee's Matchless.
They hang on the vines a 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 a 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 mix
ture and arsenate Of lead, practically
keeping them covered with the bor-
deaux 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 re-
turns than later set plants. For the
tomato field he prefers a clover sod,
covered with stable manure, plOwed
and kept well worked up month be-
fore needed. For phosphate he uses
500 pounds Of fish, 800 pounds Of rock,
and 400 pounds of Muriate Of Potash,
applying 800 pounds per acre. The
Geld 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 a
fraction over nine tons OF tomatoes per
acre.
J. J. Rosa likes best a clover sod ma
nured aud plowed in the Fall. In the
Spring manure and pillow again and
put on 500 pounds Of fertilizer.
Charles Sackett usually sets his
plants late on ground where be cuts
scarlet clover-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, msnured in the Fall
and plowed early in the Spring keep
ing it we'll worked up until time to set
plants. Marked the ground both ways
with three foot ten inch marker.
Sowed phosphate, 400 pounds per acre,
down the row and covered with a Gull
tivator. He grew the Success and liked
them.
5. Armour plants seed in well ma
nured ground, in narrow row, so as to
get stocky plants. A. e. Howe in
quired the best way to apply coarse
manure and was advised to use it broad
cast and pillow under and use phosphate
in the row.
Chas. Barker thinks Mr.. Begley's
system a good one and his method Of
keeping young plants covered with
bordeaux excellent. Mr.. Barker is try
ing this year Delaware Beauty and
Success. 1t has always been q ques'
ton with Mr.. Barker about fertilizing
in the hill. When he does it, he re.
grets it, and when he does not, he
wishes he had.
Mr.. Sackett has tried brOadcastiDg
and Sertilizing in the hill. When broad
casting only. thought the fruit ripened
slowly. His plan is to broadcast 400
pounds Of phosphate and put 300 lbs.
in the hill per acre.
H. R. Lenex suggested that phOs-
phate be put on top and then cultivated
in when the plants we're cultivated.
While Nitrate Of Soda goes down and
could be used this way, other phOs-
pilates, especially fish, give better re-
suits if put in the fuTrOw.