FORCING VEGETABLES. 



315 



This was another reason for our determina- 

 tion to have a factory of our own. 



" It has been reported that the syndicates 

 will sell below cost and so put us out of 

 business. But The Farmers' Canning 

 Company is composed of ^bout 40 share- 

 holders who are growing the raw material, 

 and we can hold back our goods for five 

 years, if necessary, until a paying price can 

 be obtained. We are going to put up only 

 the best and work back to the old standard," 

 concluded Mr. Hyatt. 



" The farmers were late in starting the 

 agitation for 30 cents per bushel for toma- 

 toes this season," said Mr. Spencer. "Next 

 year they will be able to get the 30 cents all 

 right, but they will have to supply a better 

 quality of goods. Canners now contract 

 for the crop at 250 bushels per acre if they 

 want them. In case thev don't want them 



the farmer is left to do whatever he likes 

 wath the crop. When the crop is light 

 everything is all right." 



" We can not afiford to pay more than 25 

 cents per bushel," said Mr. Baker, " unless 

 all the factories do the same. But there is 

 no crop on the farm pays so well as a crop 

 of tomatoes at 25 cents. An average crop 

 is 250 bushels per acre, and very frequently 

 they run two or three times that much. 

 Last year one man had 800 bushels and that 

 was in an unfavorable season. 



" The natural feeling among the growers 

 is that a higher price should be obtained, 

 but an average season gives them returns 

 far above mixed farming or dairying. If 

 the price is raised for the raw material the 

 next move will be a higher price to the 

 consumer and smaller sales as a conse- 

 quence." 



GROWING EARLY VEGETABLES IN ESSEX COUNTY 



THE forcing of vegetables for the early 

 markets and their growth for can- 

 ning purposes is rapidly becoming a very 

 important industry in Essex county, On- 

 tario, especially in the Leamington district. 

 Thousands of dollars are being invested in 

 greenhouses and in the other equipment re- 

 quired. Most of the people growing vege- 

 tables were extensive fruit growers until 

 the last few years. The severe winter of 

 1903-4 which destroyed many orchards in 

 this section forced many of the growers to 

 turn to vegetable growing. In this they 

 have been so successful the acreage has 

 been steadily increased, although some of 

 the growers are again turning their atten- 

 tion to fruit growing. 



A grower who has invested a large 

 amount of money in the growing of vege- 

 tables is Mr. J. D. Eraser, of Leamington, 

 with whom The Horticulturist recently had 

 an interesting interview. 



" Owing to the freeze out in my peach 



orchard twice within four years," said Mr. 

 Eraser, " I have been compelled to enter 

 rather more largely than I should otherwise 

 have done into the growing of tomatoes, 

 musk melons, cucumbers, and other vege- 

 tables. I still hope, however, to make a 

 success of peach growing, as I firmly be- 

 lieve, apart from the above danger, that this 

 section is second to none fgr producing this 

 particular fruit. The tops of the trees do 

 not get frozen, only the roots. This has 

 been due to an insufficient covering of 

 snow, as is shown by the fact that after the 

 damage had been done by the frost the trees 

 came out in leaf and bloom and then wilted 

 away. 



" Eor many years previous to the winter 

 of 1 899- 1 900 peaches were grown here very 

 successfully with clean cultivation. After 

 the loss caused by the cold weather of that 

 winter we practised clean cultivation to- 

 gether with a cover crop sown in July or 

 early August, but could not get anything 



