The free press. (Poplarville, Miss.) 1890-19??, 1923-01-11
Timely Topics on Cul-
ture of Fruit and
Vegetables
By F. B. Richardson, Horticultural,
South Mississippi Experiment,
Station, Popls3vile, Miss. Cor.
reSp0ndence Invited.

0Wos tAS OCalc. IL yOu nave uOl
already sprayed for the San Jose
Scale on peach and plum, or the
Purple Scale on citrus fruits, do il
now. Detailed directions for spray.
ing were given in this column re-
Gently. Lime Sulphur solution will
control San Jose Scale, though
a good oil emulsion will control all
kinds Of scale, and is more agree.
able to handle.
Tomatoes for Christmas
Tomatoes for Christmas, not from
California or cold storage, but home
grown fall crop. Not in a mild
winter only, but in the average
winter season in this latitude and
on south. This is a possibility, as
has been proven at the Experiment
Station.
Plant the tomato seed in a short
row in the garden about July 1st.
Earlier for northern part of South
Mississippi. Figure to plant the
seed at least four months ahead of
first killing frost in the fall.
Handle these tomato plants in the
usual way to produce crop. If
planted at the time indicated, some
ripe tomatoes should be had before
cold weather. Before the serious
cold wave, pick the entire crop,
handling the fruits carefully to pre-
vent bruising. The smaller tomatoes
can be worked un into tomato pickle
combinations. Select the larger and
medium size fruits; and wrap them
n squares of any kind of paper,
and pack them away in ~ box.
In two weeks there. will ha . few
ripe fruits, and from then on for
a period of six weeks, and longer.
Tomatoes handled this way at the
Experiment Station this fall were
picked the latter part of November,
and ripe tomatoes are still available
at this date. The quality is first
class. Since fresh tomatoes are
such a healthful food, every home
gardener should take advantage OF
this method to extend the season
of their use in South Mississippi.
The tomato varities used in this
test were the Burbank, Bonney Best
Ha ison Prolific, and Norton Wilt
Resistant, ripening in the order
named. The Norton is especially
to be recommended, both for spring
and fall crop, because of it's
resistance to wilt, or 'blight." Bon
nv Best willis badly late in the
spring, though none of the varieties
showed wilt this fall. Burbank and
Harrison Prolific have only been
tried once and both look SO promis-
ing that seed was saved this fall,
and has already been planted for
the early spring crop.
Satsuma Oranges
, With the boom in planting Satsu-
ma oranges in South Mississippi and
Florida, comes the individual short
age in Satsuma trees, and the con-
sequent high prices. There is no
reason for one-year trees selling for
more than 35 cents in normal sea-
sons, whereas, this year IS cents to
so cents are the low prices in for
the smaller grades. Many pros
pective planters are therefore plan
ming to propagate their own trees.
This is not difficult to do, if a lit
tie practice, patience, and perserver-
ance are used. Amateur Satsuma
propagation will pay well for the
time invested, though the same is
not so true in the case Of pecan
propagation.
Citrus Trifoliata is the stock on
which the Satsuma is grated. The
seed may be purchased at present
from the Gulf Coast Seed Company,
of Mobile, Ala, Bolen Nursery Co.,
Lucedale, Miss, or ]. Steckler Seed
House, of New Orleans. Prices
range from one dollar per pound,
which should be the number to
sprout and grow if well handled.
Plant them this month in fertilized
rows like garden peas, dropping the
seed about every three inches. Keep
them clean, and well cultivated all
through the summer, to October. In
December Of this. year set these
Citrus Trifoliata seedlings in rows
three and one half feet apart, IS
inches apart in the row. This will
give 10000 stock per acre. Mud