The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-07-22
FALL TOMATOES


 There is an insistent demand on of tomato growing, and whether 1t popular vegetable. One reason for this Is probably due to the outrageous retail price in the Birmingham mar ket at the date of this writing for tomatoes fit for the table. Out-of- town readers may be surprised to know that the consumer Is called upon to pay S1 per dozen for toma- July IF. How can poor people afford to pay Sl per dozen for very indif- ferent quality of tomatoes. The price, of course, Is exhorbitant, because the farmer is only getting 25 to 30 cents per dozen. Of course. by the time this article is in print the price may be very much less, but there Is en- tirely too much difference between the retail price and what the farmer receives for fresh vegetabls. One of the main factors In the high price of tomatoes at this season Is the fact that many gardeners and private families have abandoned tomatoes on account of the multitude of diseases which are prone to attack this vege- table, People wno now are disposed to grow tomatoes, and particularly the private individual who Is not willing to go to the trouble of exer- cising certain measures to keep down disease and insects. should stop trim ming up or stalking their toma toes. It Is well known fact that If toma- toes are given proper distance, say 3 F to feet apart, and will let them grow wild or naturally without any pruning or stalking. the vines so treated are rarely injured by blight or root diseases causing wilt, and WI ,o1r 1pr fruit as the staked-up vine, they will certainly make more and persist in their bearing, frequently until as late as Christmas. Tomato plants, or even tomoto seed, may be planted out now in hills and will produce a crop of to- matoes late in the fall, and weather conditions permitting, will be bearing fruit on Christmas day.
 FALL AND WINTER TURNIPs
 It might be interesting to some Age Herald readers that the south plants vastly more turnips than the balance of the United States. This popular vegetable Is used in the south as a food crop for human beings, and enormous quantities are consumed both in the form of roots and as greens. In many sections of the north turnip greens are not used for food, and even the roots or turnips
  extent, but in the south In volume at least there Is probably more turnips and tops consumed as a vegetable than any other one crop.
 There is hardly a day in Alabama when turnips are not being planted in some locality, either for produc- ton of roots or for the production of tops for greens. The reason for this Is that various varieties Of turnips produce succulent greens a few weeks after planting, and most varieties produce roots within two months after planting. The Age Herald is being asked now the proper time to plant turnips, and the answer to this broad question might be summarized in the statement that you may plant turnips any time, the proper time de- pending much, however, on what Is desired In the resulting crop. The Rutabegga, or Swede types, both yell low and white, being of slow growth, should be planted not later than soma period in July, but other types that mature bulbs in so to 65 days, may be planted as late as October. Gener- to plant most turnips early in the. fall. Weather condition. of course would naturally be large factor. The proper thing Is to make several different plantings and do not trust to any one for the desired results The thing to do Is to begin planting turnips the last of July or around Au- gust 1 and make successions of plant ing every 15 to 20 days. because then you will be sure to have some of your plantings made at a period when the resulting conditions will be at their best.