St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1914-01-24
MORE ABOUT TOMATO CULTURE.


Tomato culture at the hands of |
Farm Demonstration. Lewis received
3 clear and practical exposition in his
recent article printed in the Farmer.
Any one who puts into practice the
methods therein explained and faith
fully does his part ought to be a sue
cessful tomato grower. In fact this
article is one that deserves to be care
fully read and 'digested by those per-
sons who are interested in this sub
ject, treated by one who has gained
his knowledge by experience.
However, the demonstration has not
all the information at hand
and some who like the writer have
grown tomatoes for pleasure and
profit would like to present some OF
their conclusions and results for the
general good.
In growing a crop Of tomatoes the
main obstacle to success is the NAL
ady known as southern tomato blight.
This trouble begins to appear with
the hot June days and is due to re-
main through the summer. The
characteristics of blight are well
known to nearly all who have ever
grown tomatoes. In fine, in the few
est words, blight means row on row
of beautiful blooming plants, dear
to the eye of today, turned into SICK
". wilted and dying objects on the
morrow.
A result that spells pathos' to the
worker whose outlay of time and
labor is thus swept away.
Plant psychologists seem to agree
that blight is sap disease caused
by bacteria that enter the plants
from the soil. Old ground never be-
fore planted in tomatoes and new
ground just brought in are alike,
comparatively free from blight the
first few years.
Tomato planting should always De
made on this character OF land Wnen
possible. An efficient remedy TOT
blight is said to be spraying the
plants with bordeaux mixture.
AS commonly recommended plants
are to be sprayed three times. nrst
in the seed bed. second few weeks
after transplanting and third, during
the blooming season. Bordeaux mix
tire and directions for application
NAV be readily obtained from seed
houses.
TO some extent blight may be par
TALLY mitigated by shade. Flants
set in the shade Of tree or houses &C
not succumb readily. Small pian'<
might be thus managed.
In planting tomatoes, either On
small or large scale, three things als
essential: drainage, CULTIVATION an.
fertility. Get there somehow anu
you will get results. -,
Whatever way plants are set' checi
row or otherwise, see that a iare'
| shovel full of stable manure % pu
in the furrow where each plant IS q
stand. This helps root drainage an
| in my experience has lessened TN
| hliehting tendency. Mix this ma
nure with the soil slightly or NOT q
| all. Barn yard or commercial 1er
tilizer is best applied some week
before planting so as to decompos'
and be in condition to serve TN
young growing plants Immediately.
Demonstration Lewis advises TN
/ planting Of one variety only, tn
Stone. The Stone tomato Is highl!
/ recommended by good authorities
l With me, blights as readily as others
and in the writer's estimation, Is ~
I more valuable than the varietse
| named Greater Baltimore, Maulie'
| Success, Henderson's New Freedom
| and Crimson Cushion and Chalk
! Jewel. These and others are higl
bred tomatoes we'll adopted to CIV
large yields of fine crops.
| The cold frame is of great assist
ance in getting the earliest plants
This Is q frame made of strips Q
plank provided with q, removable
cover OF sash OF muslin cloth to pro
tect the young plants during frost.
nights.
At all times ventilation is to b.
| given the plants and during moder
ate weather the cover is left on en-
tirely that the young plants ma!
grow sturdy.
Do not economic on seed o
plants. Sow early plenty Of good Sc
lected seed, first in frames and q
soon thereafter as the season per
mits SOW more seed outside In wei
enriched beds. Provide twice q
many plants as you expect to re-
Quire. Field planting may be KEEP
up well into the season.
Something in the sunshine and sol
gives the st. Tammany grown pro
! ducts an appetizing flavor that 1T
well into the bill of fare any day.
The tomato is q healthful vege
table with numerous admirers VIII
delight in tomato consomme, stewe'
tomatoes with rice. sliced raw to
matoes and tomatoes with corn, yea
and tomato preserves.
Farm Demonstration Lewis is right
Our people should grow more toma
toes for home use, and for outsid,
consumption.
We can and must.
And there's the cannery and tn
boys and girls clubs to help.
Then lets proceed,
To do the deed,
And I'LL the need,
BY planting seed.
WILDWOOD.