Milford chronicle., 1923-03-30

University of Maryland is devoted to
the discussion by practical farmers
and agriculturists of the conditions
confronting the growers and Gamers
of tomatoes in the State of Maryland
What is true in oar sister state Is
equally true in Delaware. For tnat
reason the major portion of the bul.e-
tin is herewith reproduced for the in
formation of tomato growers in Kent
and Sussex counties. The bulletin by
w r Ra}lard and A. d. Radebaugh,
both practical agriculturists, follows:
Introduction
The only reason why tomatoes are
grown for the canning industry Is De-
cause the grower expects from them
a satisfactory profit. 1t is safe to as
surne that Maryland ranks first IN inc
nroduction of tomatoes for the can
pinq industry and packs more than
a third of all the tomatoes canned III
tbe limited States for the simple Tea-
son that both Gamers and growers
until recent years, have been able 10
profit from the industry.
Similarly growers and Gamers III
Ofner STATES udNG lOuAA
for proft in the canning of tomatoes
Against this steadily growing compe-
tition it is necessary for tomatoes
canned in Maryland to compete III
price with those produced IN otneI
States. This means that Marylanu
Gamers cannot afford to pay more lot
tomatoes than the Gamers OF otheI
states. It means, also, that if Mary
land growers cannot produce tomatoes
and make a profit at this price, they
will stop growing them, the Gamers
will have to stop canning them ana
the State will lose an industry winch
has added immensely to its annual ag-
ricultural wealth.
For many years the University OF
MARYLAND Extension Service and Ex-
periment Station have maintained tnat
tbe solution of the problem lay in the
comparatively simple process OF IN
creasing the yield per acre, not neces-
sarily as a means of producing more
tomatoes in the State, but as one OF
the essential factors of reducing the
cost of production.
That the problem can be solved sue
cessfully in this manner was illus
trated during the year 1922, when the
University of Maryland Extension Ser
vice. through the specialist and coun-
ty agent, co-operated with tomato
growers in Cecil county to demon
strate that Yields can be increased by
comparatively simple practices and
that tomato growing can be mace
profitable if satisfactory yields per
acre are obtained.
While the average yield of tomatoes
in Maryland is only about 3.5 tons per
acre, the average yield secured by
growers cooperating in the demon
stration in Cecil county was approx
mately 8 tons per acre. This big dill
ference in yield was due primarily to
the use of good seed, to the proper
growth of the young plants in the
seed bed and to proper fertilization
and cultivation. In every case the
growers in the demonstration were
able to show a net profit.
The outstanding feature of the dem
onstration was a centralized plant Ded'
where plants for 60 growers, who
n1anted 225 acres, were all grown un-
der conditions which produced vigor-
aus. stocky plants. The significance
of This demonstration is in its prac-
ticaI character and in the fact that II
can he adapted to conditions in other
counties of the State where growers
are willing to cooperate and prouuce
plants of similar quality. The purpose
of this bulletin is to describe in DrleI
manner how this demonstration was
conducted and to give few general
recommendations to growers VINO are
interested in increasing yields per
acre with a view to making the pro-
duction of tomatoes for canning
profitable industry.
THE PLANT BED
SEED-One ounce of seed should
produce enough plants to set one acre.
Seed sufficient to produce enough
plants to set 225 acres was secured for
the demonstration. Home selected
seed not being available, certified seed
of Greater Baltimore and Stone va
rieties was purchased.
GROWING THE PLANTS-The seed
bed was three-fourths of an acre IN
size, the soil being very rich, we'll
drained, sandy loan. The plot was
carefully plowed early in March and
the soil thoroughly prepared and firm
ed and the surface made fine. The hnaI
preparation was done by hand with
a garden rake. Two rows were not
hand raked before seeding and plants
in these rows were two inches shorter
than the others at pulling time.
One half ton of 2-8-5 fertilizer was
drilled broadcast and thoroughly
worked into the soil. The rows after
seeding were top dressed with mix
ture of 400 pounds of 1919 tankage and
about 500 pounds of leaf mold to keep
the surface of the ground from bak-
ing and to stimulate the growth Of the
plants.
Seeding with a hand drill began
April 18th and was completed April
18th, weather conditions delaying the
seeding. Rows were made twelve
inches apart and seed sown one-half
inch deep and thinly in the row, av-
eraging about five seed to the inch.
Cultivation with a hand cultivator
began as soon as plants appeared
above ground. The beds were culti-
waited five times and the weeds hand
pulled once.