Milford chronicle., 1922-02-17
What About Tomatoes?
By COLONEL ALBERT W. SsK, Preston, Maryland

apparently allotted us. winch Snall II ne
That is the vital question. Speaking to
you as a body of farmers, 1 believe the
cost of the raw stock can be materially
reduced and this would help solve the
problem, not altogether however, for
other materials, cans, cases and labor
must also share in this reduction. 1t has
been demonstrated repeatedly that when
the price to the consumer is reasonable,
that is. in harmony with other food
stuffs, the demand is good, but whenever
it gets out of line, the demand and con-
sumption are at once cut down.
Our only>possible hope of being able to
continue the tomato industry in this ter
ritory on its present basis is to keep the
cost to a point where we can increase
the demand in the zone which present
artificial and natural conditions confine
us. As already limited, our climatic con-
ditions are the best in the world, and
with our great variety of soil. there is
no reason why if we seriously apply our
selves, to the problem we cannot COM
pete with the world. 1t cannot be done
by haphazard, unintelligent methods. 1t
cannot be done by simply hearing and
not needing the advice and knowledge
we call get lIIOuBn our SClenLlllC GApeElS
of both our state and National Govern
ments, but it can be done through their
help and our own experience. We can
grow two tons where we now grow one
and that alone reduces the cost almost
half. Our average crop is four tons to
the acre. 1t should not be less than
eight tons. I have know numerous in
stances of 12 and Is tons grown right
here at our doors, but in order to COM
pete with other sections, we must raise
our average crop at least to eight tons.
Growing and canning tomatoes is the |
principle industry on the Eastern Shore |
of Maryland and Delaware. Other sections |
of the country are forging ahead and alb |
sorbing the markets that once were ours. |
Shall we let this continue and sit idly by |
and see this our one great industry slip |
away fro mus? Remember orce it is
gone, the problem will he still more diff
cult to get it back. It probably would
never be done The industry has just
passed through two most trying years
and today, in a worse condition thar for
twenty years past.
During 1921, less than half our can
ming factories were in operation due
largely to their extraordinary losses in
1920, and the poor prospect for profits,
the present season. would not once
suggest to the farmer to take less profit
on their crop, but I would urge you to
reduce your cost of production by in
the yield, by using intelligent
business methods in all your transactions
and by applying the latest scientific in
formation obtainable through sources at
your command to theacre and growth of
your crops.
We have learned from experience that
a profitable crop of tomatoes cannot be
grown on poor soil nor with poor seed or
diseased plants. The best soil is a deep
rich humus and well drained. A cover
crop should be turned down when poss-
ble always bringing about half inch
Of the subsoil to the surface, and the
blowing should be done as early as con-
iitions will permit. If your manure is
we'll rotted and fine, apply after plowing
nd work in it with disk or spring tooth :,
narrow and keep the surface cultivated
nee a week until planting time, thus
conserving the moisture where it is most
needed. 1t is the opinion of our best
experts that next to poor soil is poor
seed Comparatively few farmers appre-
late this truth or take any pains what
,ver to improve their breed. They will
1lant any kind of seed without knowing
lnything about their history or pedi-
gree Two ounces of good seed will plant
IN acre. You can produce these few
,unces of good seed yourself by careful
selection from year to year, or you can
purchase them from reliable dealers who
of fTors I
-ourself, use only thosel from strong,
lealthy vines, and take for seed the
ruit with few seed and thick solid meat
| tomato with too many seed is never
'ood for any purpose. Unfortunately h
ONE seed growers without conscience
elect stock that will produce the most =
eed This, of course, to reduce the cost n
a order to sell cheap seed, but for you
S a tomato grower, they would be dear
S a gift These two conditions of soil
nd seed must be met, otherwise your
rop will not be profitable. If you cannot d
1r any reason secure good seed or have y
ne right type of soil, it would be better
} dispense with the tomato crop alto S
ether. One other reason why our aver u
ge crop is only four tons to the acre, Il
nd hence improbable, is because our j
lImers have spread their efforts over
20 many acres. If you will concentrate A
our energies and manures on five acres
lstead of ten, you will produce more p
,matoes and of better quality, and you
ill have a good margin of profit. Then,
really think it is a misfortune that so A
any of our people are engaged in this in
dustry, either in growing or canning
,matoes and sometimes both, directly
indirectly. Doctors, lawyers, mer-
lants. preachers, teachers have been
red from their professions to engage in 81
lis big gamble The gold mines and oil IL
slds of the West never absorbed the ~
terests of their citizens any more COM e. e.
etely than the canning industry has - -
ken and held the attention of our peo- ~, ~
e of the Maryland Delaware Peninsula, -
the past quarter of Il century. The ~
st three years have shaken out many ~,
the weak and inefficient factors ir ~ ~
is business, but the end is not yet. The ~
aking is not entirely over. The hap =,
vard farmer is not the only inefficient. II!
c have found a large percentage of De
o Sc engaged in the factOry and of this % y
me quite as inefficient and defective ns
his operations as the farmer who Su
ows one or two tons 20 the acre. The
efficient grower and the inefficient can al
r should both be eliminated as far as
ssible and the business put on basis.
it'll this is done, the business will le-
lin the gamble. it has always been in
: past. California has shown us the no