CHAPTER XIII. 

 CULTURE OF TOMATOES. 



HE crop of which the largest acreage was grown 

 in Dade County originally to the exclusion of 

 all other varieties of vegetables, is the tomato. 

 Our Dade County tomato has already won for 

 itself a place in the market and the tomato 

 has become so popular throughout the United 

 States that many people now eat them for one 

 meal a day throughout the year. Their beautiful 

 color tempts the good housewife to use them for decorating and 

 this has also considerable to do with increasing the demand. 



We have a large number of varieties at present grown in the 

 South ; in fact, we no sooner find a new variety of genuine merit 

 than it is superseded by some other variety having still more 

 favorable points. It ever becomes necessary to change varieties 

 for new ones that are more thrifty, hardy and productive, until 

 today we have many that are perfection in shape, quality and 

 flavor. Of course, the flavor is also influenced largely by feeding 

 the plant with properly balanced applications of fertilizer. 



The tomato is of such easy growth that it can be grown on 

 practically all varieties of soil in our State. If given proper 

 attention, fertility and moisture, it will grow on the poorest, white 

 drifting sand, on the stiffest clay, and on the best alluvial soil. 

 Our climate seems to be so congenial to this vegetable that the 

 quality is seldom impaired on any of the above named soils. The 

 vigor with which the plant grows, its grasping nature and general 

 immunity from disease, allow it to take advantage of almost any 

 kind of soil or fertilizer, and frequently tempt the new beginner 

 to plant a great surplus in preference to all other varieties of 

 vegetables. It is consequently common in every garden through- 

 out the country. 



