744 EXPEEIMENT STATION RECORD. 



rerprise when successful is a laiglily remunerative one. The development of a 

 uniformly high quality strain is believed to be well worth the attention of the 

 plant breeder. 



Potato culture in West Virginia, A. L. Dacy (West Virginia Sta. Bui. 1^0, 

 pp. S-SJf, figs. 16). — In the first part of this bulletin the author presents data 

 to show the possibilities of growing the potato in West Virginia, both as a truck 

 crop and for seed purposes. The succeeding part briefly outlines the most es- 

 sential practices in the culture of the potato as a truck crop. 



In order to test the value of West Virginia seed stock as compared with 

 northern-grown seed the station, working in coperation with the Bureau of Plant 

 Industry of the U. S. Department of Agriculture, arranged for the culture of 

 sample plats of both West Virginia and northern-grown seed near Norfolk, Va.. 

 both on a private plantation and at the Virgiaia Truck Experiment Station. 

 As indicated by the results of the past season's test, here tabulated. West Vir- 

 ginia seed compares very favorably with the northern-grown seed for use in the 

 coastal region of Virginia. 



Tomatoes for the canning- factory, C. A. McCtje and W. C. Pelton (Dela- 

 loare Sta. Bui. 101, pp. 3-86, figs. 4). — This bulletin comprises a detailed survey 

 of the tomato industry in Delaware, including cultural recommendations based 

 on the experience of growers throughout the State and on that secured from 

 the station's investigations. A descriptive list of varieties that have been grown 

 by the station during the past 4 years is also included. 



Summarizing the results relative t© soil conditions the authors find that a 

 sandy loam, plentifully supplied with humus and underlain with a well-drained 

 clay subsoil, is ideal for the production of tomatoes for canning purposes, but 

 the tomato plant is dependent more upon foo^ supply and moisture in the soil 

 than on certain proportions of sand and clay. The plants require a large quan- 

 tity of readily available plant food early in the season, and a soil condition that 

 will keep the plants well supplied with moisture, especially during the latter 

 part of the season. 



Crimson clover seeded at the last cultivation of tomatoes and turned under 

 before the clover is in blossom furnishes a good green manure crop for tomatoes, 

 but the soil should be well compacted and there should be sufficient moisture 

 present to rot the clover quickly. Stable manure is most economically applied 

 to the land on some other crop. The tomato uses little phosphoric acid and a 

 relatively large amount of potash. The authors recommend a fertilizer con- 

 taining from 3 to D per cent of quickly available nitrogen, 5 to 7 per cent phos- 

 phoric acid, and 8 to 10 per cent potash, to be used at the rate of from 400 

 to 800 lbs. per acre. A number of rotations wherein tomatoes may be used in 

 connection with corn, wheat, and other crops are suggested. 



The experience in Delaware indicates that it will pay the grower to save his 

 seed from selected plants. Special attention is called to the results secured 

 by Wellington (E. S. R., 27, p. 2.39), who found increased yields from first 

 generation crosses of selected parents. The authors point out that since the 

 cross will not come true in the second generation, a large number of crosses 

 may be made in one year for stock seed and this seed used as long as it retains 

 good germinating properties. 



The average cost of producing and marketing an acre of tomatoes in Delaware 

 is reported as .$38.G1. The average yield per acre of all varieties grown at the 

 station was 15 tons in 1909, 9.1 tons in 1910, S.4 tons in 1911. and 15.7 tons in 

 1912. On the basis of cannery prices it is concluded that a crop can not be 

 called a profitable one unless 7 tons per acre are produced and that the tenant 

 farmer must produce a 10-ton crop. 



