Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1936-05-15
Quality Angle
OF Tomatoes
Is Important

or for our Gamers each year. The
quality of the tomatoes which they
are receiving is close to the lowest
in the country, so how can they be
expected to put up high-quality pack
and in turn, pay more for the raw
stock? The most significant posi-
bility about the whole situation is
that high yields per acre, more than
nine times out of ten, result in better
quality tomatoes for the Gamer and
in increased profits for the grower.
The cost of growing an acre Of
tomatoes is high, regardless of
whether the yield is three or ten tons.
So isn't it good common sense to put
the crop on one of the best pieces OF
land on the farm; to get the ground
in good condition; to go to some eX-
ira trouble and expense to raise or Sc
cure good plants; to fertilize little
heavier than the average; and IN
general, to do those things which will
increase the yield and quality?
In choosing the field for tomatoes
select a good piece of land, we'll sup
piled with organic matter and we'll
drained. Sod ground, plowed in fall
or early spring, give good results.
There is no one variety which gives
uniformly best results. The Marglobe
is probably better suited to the aver
age conditions in this territory than
any other one variety, particularly
where Fusarium wilt is present, but
the Greater Baltimore types often
outyield all others on wilt-free soil in
some sections. Pritchard seems to
be coming into popularity again on
the heavier soil types. Rutgers is a
relatively new variety that seems
worthy of trial on small scale, and
the new field selection known as
Browns Special is giving exceptional
~ good results in certain sections. By
all means stick to those varieties that
have given best results in the COM
munity, and try out the others on a
small scale if you like.
Every effort should be made to
produce or secure plants for early
field setting. Ten days to two weeks
difference in planting time often
makes differences of from one to two
tons in yield in favor of the early
planting. Try to plant Just as early
as cannery and field conditions per
nit.
Whether the plants are grown in
open beds, coldframes, hotbeds, or Sc
cured from southern plant growers
is matter that must be determined
according to the time that the can
ner will take tomatoes. Early plants
generally give increased yields, but
satisfactory plants can be produced
in open plant beds in this area, par
ticularly if windbreaks are provided
on the north and west.
Whatever the method used in grow
ing plants, make every effort to pro-
duce good, stocky, healthy plants that
will begin growing as soon as trans
planted. A good step in this direction
can be made by using more space for
the bed and sowing the seed thinly.
Good plants can never be produced in
a crowded bed, and poor plants rarely
give good results. Be prepared to
spray the seeded with Bordeaux
mixture and arsenate of lead, or to
dust with r-lime-arsenate dust
for the control of insects and diseases
With ohtre growing costs so high it
is false economy not to use sufficient
fertilizer. The average amount used
in this section is perhaps under 500
pounds per acre, but those growing
who figure on large profit generally
use 800 or more pounds, with some
going as high as 1900 or even 1900
pounds. The exact amount to use
should depend on knowledge of the
land or soil tests, but don't be skinny!
The most common practice in APP
plying fertilizer is to broadcast the
material ahead of field planting, but
the greatest value per pound can be
obtained by some form of placement
close to, but not in direct contact
with, the plant. Machines will no
doubt be available in the near future
for this form of placement. 1t is
usually profitable to make side ap-
plications by hand or with fertilizer
attachments on the cultivator three or
four weeks after planting.
A 4-8-7 fertilizer is suitable for
tomatoes over most of this territory
where grown in rotation with field
crops and after green manure crop
or here sufficient manure is avail
able. On lighter land and particular
" where manure is scarce, 1910,
5-8-12, or similar analysis may give
better results. 1t is desirable to have
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