The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1914-03-17
ASK MASSEY'S ADVICE
Want To Know What Kind of
Tomatoes Are Best Suited
To Growing For Canning
Purposes-The Expert Also
Gives Some Advice as To
Growing of Alfalfa
tProf. w. L. Massey in Richmond
Times-DiSpatch.)

' . ~ 49, J
Tines-Dispatch.)
With others, l am starting a can
very here, trying to find a substitute
FOR tobacco, which is running our
farmers; and from what you have
written bou this matter, We must
start right with the plants. | wish
10 experiment myself, which may be
II help TO the community as we'll as
myself. The canning industry is
growing in F%luvanna, from one can
merry in 1912 there will be eight this
year. The goods have already estab-
iiShed a reputation in Richmond. and
:; man representing a fancy grocery
here predicts that in ten years the
tomato packing will supersede tboac-
80 production. The variety Of tomato
selected for planting is the Greater
Baltimore. IT is advisable to plant
carly, medium or late tomato to eX-
lend the packing season? If so, what
varieties would you advise. If the
t}rimmer tomato is no better with you
than here you will be disappointed.
they lack color and are full of hard
cores and not good bearers. No, you
DO not need the early varieties of
tomatoes, as there are none that are
especially early that are of good
quality for canning. Here, where the
'dliIlllS INDUSTRY Is very 1dISc tlI1CIO
are fitty-three cannerieS in my county
alone), the Stone tomato is universal
~ planted.
IN the experiments made al the
Delaware experiment station they
found hat the Greater Baltimore
stood about the head of the list as q
productive canning tomato. You
would do we'll to write to the directo,
of the Delaware station, Newark
Del and pet their bulletin on fOm4.
toes for canning. 1t will give yo,
valuable information. Our farmer
are too careless in the production
of the plants, simply sowing in tn
pen ground, II transplanting t
the field directly from the seed rows
You can get better plants by startinl
earlier, say in March, and sowinI
The plants four inche apart in anoth
~ frame protected with twilled cot
ton cover. This will give stOute
plants, and they will some up with
mass Of soil and live better. A fer
tiliZer running about 2-S-1O is excel
tent for tomatoes at rate Of 80
pounds an acre in the hills. The
spray with BoTdeauX mixture, to pre-
vent the leaf blight. Quality i'll tn
fruit Is of more importance tina
earliness.
Preparing for Alfalfa.
would like to get an acre OF a
falfa on my farm. The soil Of the il
tended piece is d light loan in preti
good condition. In fall of 1912
Sowed crimson clover on it and tot
dressed it with stable and G,
the clover for hay, and turned und'
The stubble as deep as possible. Ho
much time should / use in prepariI
this land, and what can | SOW now
get a hay crop this summer from l
My idea is 30 SOW oats for feed. al
follow with peas and in the fall so
crimson clover with q heavy apple
ZION of acid phosphate and mix fO'
pounds of alfalfa with the clover, al
the next spring turn all under deep
and SOW to peas again, and turn the
under and put the land in good ord
and SOW the alfalfa. Please advi
NE what your opinion IS OF IN
plan - You have beef taking off h
crops and Opo 10 do so again, a
this is moi rapidly increasing t
humus in the soil. You can SOW t
oats and cut them early for hay, d
Will then nave time to grow the p
hay, but YOU should use acid pht
phate literally on the oats and pc
and some potash with it for the pc
Then. if instead Of making hay
these peas, YOU turn them all unC
and harrow in q ton of slaked bul
time an acre and more acid phi
phate, YOU "a SOW the alfalfa at or
The last Of August. Or. if you ma
hay of these peas you can follow
Your plan and defer the lining
you have turned under the pc
Turning the clover and then the D.
that summer Will certainly give J
humus-making material, and J
should get a good stand. But use
lime just ahead of the sowing of
alfalfa.
Directions As to Dairy Farm.
~ anu following NOur valuable