Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-04-05
CHAMPION TOMATO RAISER
OF FOURTEEN STATES
TELLS HER STORY.

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Washington, April 5. Miss Eloise
Parsons, Of Clarinda, Iowa, is the
young woman whose record in the de-
partment Of agriculture's garden and
canning clubs was the best Of the
thousands made by members in the
thirty three northern states. Miss
Parsons obtained yield Of 5,31S
pounds Of tomatoes from her tenth acre
plat. Her costs were 1851, and her
net profits were s115.57. Her costs
cover every item of expense In rails
ing the crop, including rent Of land, her
own time ESTIMATED at 10 cents an
hour) fertilizers and sprays. She de-
scrihes some Of her difficulties in OBJ
tanning this result as follows:
II decided I would try and have ripe
tomatoes very early and SO obtain
good prices for them. So IN the latter
part of February planted the early
variety in three boxes which I placed
on shelf in front OF the south win
dows in the dining room. In short
time they came thru and grew rapidly.
But they began to grow tall and
spindly so in the latter part of March
II transplanted part of them into small
pasteboard boxes. one plant in each.
By doing this could move them to the
open without disturbing the roots, and
hindering the development of the
plants. Then as soon as 1t was warm
enough l set the rest in a cold frame,
four inches apart each way In the
first of April planted the late variety
in the hot bed. Those in the cold
frame and in the pasteboard boxes de-
veloped great amount of roots and
were very strong, some in bloom,
when / transplanted them 70 the open
on the 22d of May. The plants in the
hot bed did not develop such strong
roots, and because of this fact, and
also that it was very dry. lost quite
a few of them when / transplanted
them. After fling in for the fourth
time a few vacant places still re-
manned, as 1t was almost impossible to
get them started because Of the early
drouth. In all had over 600 plants"
Il hoed them them after each rain
and whenever l thought It necessary.
AS we moved to this place this spring,
and the garden was not plcwed in the
fall, many weed seeds were not de-
stroyed, and I had very hard time
keeping the weeds down. The plants
did not grow very large, and as it con-
tinued very dry. decided it not best to
stake the plants. The plants did not
make a very great growth and very
few needed pruning. / hoed them until
the tomatoes began to ripen and the
plants were too large.
Il picked my first ripe tomatoes on
the 9Th OF July. From then on the
pickings every two or three days grew
larger. At first I received 10 cents
pound, but soon the price began to fall
so that after the LIST OF September
received only cents a pound. AS my
fatheraruns a dairy, ne took the toma.
toes with him and sold them very
easily to the hotels, restaurants. and
milk customers. He was able to sell
almost all Of them until the green ones
were gathered. AS long as we could
get a dollar bushel for the tomatoes
fresh and as we were 80 very busy
with the work OF a dairy, I thought 1t
best not to can them.
AFTER school began I kept very busy
in picking the tomatoes. For several
weeks it took me three evenings of the
week to get over the entire patch and