GROWING TOMATOES NEAR HAMILTON 



4k I HA\'E 48 acres uiulcr cultivation at 

 J. my house and 25 acres in another 

 place," said Air. E. J. Mahony. president of 

 the Hamilton District Tomato Growers' 

 Association, to a representative of The 

 Canadian Horticulturist who visited his 

 place during Ma\-. " About 30 acres of this 

 is in the vegetable garden. .\11 kinds of 

 vegetables are grown. 



" Market gardeners about Hamilton have 

 grown tomatoes e.xtensively in past years 

 for the canners. The latter have been pay- 

 ing 25 cents a bushel, Init this year the mem- 

 bers of the Tomato Growers' Association 

 refused to make contracts at less than 30 

 cents. This the canners have refused to 

 give, and by present appearances there will 

 be few tomatoes grown. Xo contracts 

 have been made, so far as I know, by an}- 

 of the mem'bers of the association at last 

 season's rates. The canners are dealing 

 with new people and endeavoring to get 

 them to grow tomatoes. Without contracts 

 they cannot depend on a supply, and I do 

 not believe they have succeeded in getting 

 many to contract. We will be able to sell 

 what tomatoes we raise in baskets and to 

 obtain reasonable prices. 



" The growers raise their own tomato 

 plants. For the earliest the seed is sown 

 about March 1. and for the general crop 

 about Alarch 20. They are started in 

 frames. We grow our own seed. I have 

 been ottered as high as S8.50 per 1,000 for 

 tomato plants in the canners' interest. 



" The Late Ignotum has been the best 

 variety I have grown. The last two years 

 they appear to have run out. The Stone is 

 the next best. It is a week later, but by 

 saving the seed from the earliest fruit it can 

 be made earlier. The Earliana is the best 

 early variety. It is of good quality and 

 smooth. Canners are glad to get it. 



'' Tomato seed was sown as usual this 

 season bv the members of the Tomato 



Growers' Association, but about a month 

 ago a circular was sent out instructing them 

 not to transplant, as there was no indication 

 of the canners coming to terms. The latter 

 are a strong -body, and the combination will 

 try every means to force the growers, but 

 the latter have a fair prospect of gaining 

 their point." 



With reference to canned goods Mr. 

 Mahony stated that negotiations are in pro- 

 gress for establishins^ a factorv in Hamilton 



Mr. E. J. Mahony, 



President of the Hamilton Tomato Growers' Association. 



where vegetables and fruit will be put up in 

 glass instead of tins, like the English goods. 

 There is a demand among people who want 

 the best, for English goods put up in glass, 

 and they are willing to pay a little more for 

 them. There is no reason, he believes, 

 why these goods should not be put up in 

 Canada. Tin cans are objectionable, es- 

 pecially for fruit. 



" Though I am turning my att.^ntion to 



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