Vegetable Growing for Market 167 



such rotations as Potatoes and Tomatoes, which are practically similar 

 in their nature, in their likes and dislikes, and in the fungoid diseases 

 that attack them, it would not be wonderful to find the diseases left 

 behind by one crop playing havoc with the next. 



So far as the outdoor culture of Tomatoes in Jersey is concerned, 

 plenty of space is given to the plants. The rows are usually 3 ft. apart, 

 the plants being 15 to 18 in. apart in the rows. Each one is tied to a 

 bamboo stake, and as a rule about three bunches of fruit are allowed to 

 mature upon each plant. From 9000 to 10,000 plants are thus grown 

 to the acre, although in many cases there are probably 12,000 to 13,000 

 plants in the same space. Allowing for disease and failures, 15,000 Ib. 

 of fruit per acre would be a fair estimate, and reckoning these at Id. per 

 pound, the yield per acre would be something over 62 per acre, about 

 half of which would be clear profit. More could certainly be realized if 

 the soil were better and more deeply cultivated, and if the weeds were 

 kept down by frequent hoeing. What expense is at present saved by 

 not performing these very necessary cultural operations is more than 

 counterbalanced by the cost of the Bordeaux mixture that is sprayed 

 so lavishly over the crops, making the plants unsightly and the fruits 

 at least risky to consumers. [j. w.] 



Tomatoes must be considered as a special crop in and around the 

 Vale of Evesham, where they are grown in the open air and without 

 shelter of any kind except what may be derived from the adjacent fruit 

 trees. The market gardeners commenced to give this crop their attention 

 rather more than twenty years ago, since when it has extended to 250 

 or 300 ac. In 1908 one man alone grew about 30 ac. of Tomatoes a risk 

 which some men would not care to take. They go to supply the English, 

 Welsh, and Scottish markets with cheap tomatoes during the months of 

 September and October especially; and if the grower can obtain a net 

 price of five, six, or seven farthings per pound he is amply repaid by a 

 good crop. " Glass " is conspicuous by its absence from such an important 

 commercial horticultural centre, the only place possessing any appreciable 

 quantity being the " French Garden ", owned by Mr. J. N. Harvey. 



The few gardeners who have one or two small and warm greenhouses 

 supply their neighbours with young Tomato plants at a cheap rate per 

 thousand during the latter half of May. These are planted usually in the 

 warmest positions available, in rows about 4 ft. apart and 30 in. or 3 ft. 

 apart in the rows, and tied and trained to a stick or small bamboo cane 

 left about 3 ft. above the ground. As previously stated, one man has 

 grown 30 ac. of Tomatoes; but usually the area devoted to them by indi- 

 vidual growers varies from J ac. to 4 ac. 



Considerable attention is paid to this crop in the matter of watering, 

 tying, and pinching out the side shoots during the chief period of growth; 

 and in August and September a part of the foliage is removed for the 

 purpose of hastening the ripening of the fruit. An important item in the 

 details of cultivation of this crop in the open ground is to have sturdy 



