Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1918-03-07
X A TOMATO r o
Henry G. Bell, Agronomist.

Clyue "A. Wdu6us MsT. Euit. Dtp'
The tomato is a tropical plant an
it is not the number OF tomatoe
which are set on the vines but tn
] number which you are able to mar
ket that counts. Early maturit
is vital to your profits.
Every pound Of tomatoes deliver
ed at the cannery or at the marke
requires eight gallons Of water 70
its production. Thus it is easy tt
see that one of the biggest problem
in tomato production is the conserva
ton Of sufficient moisture to produc,
maximum crops.
Most soils will grow tomatoes whel
they are we'll drained and supplied
with a sufficient amount Of organic
matter to allow for free air circula
ton. Soils for tomatoes Should b.
sweet and hold moisture we'll.
Fall blowing helps to conserve tn
moisture for the crop. II plowin}
at this time OF the year is impo: 81
BILE. pillow as early In the spring a.
you can and keep narrowing to saw
water until the plants are set in thu
field.
After the seed bed is properly pre-
pared, the next step is to see tina;
the plants have sufficient plant food
to provide a good start and to mature
the fruit before frost. This early
maturity means dollars to you.
There are three kinds Of plant
food-nitrogen. phosphoric acid and
potash-which every plant must have
In liberal amounts in order to pro-
duce big crops of early maturing,
quality fruit. Nitrogen causes the
stem or stalk to grow rapidly. When
plants start slowly and do not grow
fast there is a lack of available nitro
gen, known as ammonia. Available
phosphoric acid causes tomatoes to
ripen quickly and helps 10 make the
fruit plump. When vine growth con-
tinues long and when fruit ripens
slowly. more available phosphoric
acid is needed. Potash makes vines
helps to fill out the fruit and
to give it proper color and flavor.
These three plant foods can be sup
piled in manure or commercial ferti-
lizer or both, but 1t is better to apply
the farm manure to the crop which
precedes the tomatoes, so that the
soil may have the benefit of the or
sanic matter in the manure, depend
ng upon commercial fertilizers for
:omatoes themselves.
Most soils are lacking in one, two
u all of the three kinds of available
,lant food. The supply of ~phosphor-
C acid and potash in muck soils is
ow. Clays contain only a minimum
Of the three, while sandy soils
re deficient in all. Tomatoes make 4
Use Of a fair amount of nitrogen, a
arge amount of available ph%osphoric
lcid and potash. To make up for the
II tural deficiencies of the soils and
meet the needs of growing crops, |
many factors must be taken into con-
For instance, if the land
been cropped heavily, it will be
hort of all three kinds of plant
pod.
thirty Tons of Tomatoes on an Acre.
Last summer we met a grower
tho produced 80 tons of tomatoes on
measured acre.. To do this he ap-
lied 1900 pounds per acre Of high
commercial fertilizer. Other
rowers apply as low as $50 pounds
ut as a general rule the heavier the
the greater the profit re-
and we do not recommend
publications. of less than 500 pounds
er acre.
Whether you use 500 or 1900
the best growers recommend
pplying all but 400 pounds through
he fertilizer attachment of a grain
rill or a broadcast lime and fertili-
er distributor inst previous to set
lng the plants. This means a liber-
| supply of plantfood les the roots
, give the young plants a quick
tart, and a sufficient amount in the
Dws when the roots begin to branch
ut further. This provides for a nor
lal development of the roots. Scat
,r a good handful In a two-foot cir
le with the plant as a center at set
Zig time, mixing thoroughly with the
oil. This application amounts to
bout 200 pounds per acre. The re-
200 pounds should be scat
cred in the cultivated rows two
'eeks after setting out the plants.
Choose the varieties which do best
your locality. There is much to
Q gained in securing tested, accli-
lated varieties.
Setting Out The Plants.
Choose a cloudy, damp day for
citing out the plants, for on such
day the plant breathes out but lit
9 water. Set the plants slightly
eeper than they grew, lamp them in
ell and, II very large, clip off a
AT or two. Use only first-class
lants. The distance at which to set
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