Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1929-06-09
CROPRETURN
OF MILLIONS
ISPREDICTED
Mexican Investors To
Transfer Interes Is
Here AS Result Of
New Tariff
BY III. G.. STILWELL. Jr.,
Herald staff Writer

SAN BENITO, June Prospects
for fall tomatoes becoming a major
crop and bringing millions OF dol
lars annually 70 the Valley In view
OF the tariff on Mexican tomatoes
are 50 encouraging that the interests
which have heretofore financed the
Mexican tomato crops r now con-
sidering transferring their money
TO the Valley.
This became known here when
III. @. Stearns. official OF the West
Coast Vegetable Growers aSsoci-
alton. told Valley shippers that his
organization would not finance the
fall tomato deal in Mexico this year.
but was considering investing In to-
matoes in the Valley.
Stearns said his organization
would not finance the Mexico deal
this fall because OF the possibility OF
the tariff being in force by the be-
ginning OF the shipping season IN
November. we have told the
people who grow the tomatoes that
we would prepare 10 handle the
crop. but would not furnish seed or
otherwise finance the deal" he said.
He looked over the Valley section
with a view 90 financing tomato
growing on a fairly large scale
in some sections or the Valley. No
definite announcement OF the result
has been made.
Urge Fall Tomatoes
The Importance OF the tomato
deal i'm the Valley this fall is en-
phasized BY shippers III the tomato
sections, who urge every farmer to
plant a few acres OF Fell tomatoes.
The planting should be done at
the present time. they agree. Brown
White. and Davis Wade. two Of the
largest dealers IN the Valley in to-
matoes. explained the prospects and
details of the fall tomato crop i'm the
Valley.
Planting should be done during
the middle OF latter part OF June.
instead OF IN July and August. as
most persons have been doing. Mr..
Wade said.
The reason for this. he explained.
is to allow the plant 70 get a strong
root system during July and August.
when II will do very little growing
above the surface. Then IN Sep
TENDER and October the plants grow
rapidly. and produce large crops.
which can be shipped in November
and December.
Several growers who last year
experimental with fail tomatoes.
planted i'm June. produced large
crops. but most Of the shippers
made a mistake in the handling or
the crop Wade said.
I'VE must take into consideration
IN the handling of fail tomatoes
that they move into n much colder
climate. and the ripening germ be-
comes inactive. Therefore. the to-
matO must be picked and moved
Just as it reaches the breaking point.
SO that ~ will be ripe when II
reaches the market.
Last season some OF our tomatoes
never did ripen. due 70 being picked
at about the same stage Of ripenFsS
as We pick spring tomatoes. and
moved into q much colder climate"
Fall tomatoes can he grown at
very little expense. both the ship
perS explained. The ground ~ in
good shape now. from the recent
heavy rainfall. and less seed is re-
quired TO secure a stand for fan to-
matoes. half n pound being suf-
ficient FOR an acre.
The crop need very little attcn-
tion after 10 is started. and mo four
cents a pound. which is considered 2
conservative estimate M the price
during November and December. IN
grower should harvest $500 worth o.
tomatoes from an acre. This puts
the crop I'm the class with the VAL
iley's largest money crops, and
makes II especially valuable because
Continued on page twelve)