TOMATOES FOR MARKET AND CANNING 



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over the roots of the plant with his foot. Plants are set very fast this 

 way, are firmed better in the soil, and they straighten up very quickly. 



All canners demand red, ripe tomatoes. The varieties grown 

 for this purpose are Bonny Best and Chalk's Early Jewel, which we 

 have found to be early and sure to ripen before frost. I might add 

 that seventy-five per cent of all the canning tomatoes grown in our 

 section are the Jewel, although I think the Stone and Matchless 

 would make a heavier crop, if plants were started earlier. 



Picking commences as soon as there is enough for a load. The 

 canner furnishes crates and baskets, which must be returned after 

 the season, or they will be charged to the grower's account. 



Tomatoes should never be drawn to the factory or car on a wagon 

 without springs, or they will be badly cracked. Most of our growers 

 have good springs and large flat racks, which enable them to draw 

 from two to three tons to a load. Canners will object if tomatoes 

 are not ripe at the stem end, also if too many smaller than two inches 

 are put in. Our Association sold 436 cars of tomatoes last year to 

 one catsup manufacturer. As they were to be shipped some distance, 

 they took them somewhat greener than the home canner. There 

 was no objection to small ones. 



Our average yield was almost twelve tons to the acre. The 

 average cost of growing and delivering to the canner was estimated 

 to be about fifty dollars per acre. 



ENEMIES 



We have never been bothered much with blight, except some- 

 times with early varieties on poor soil. We believe high fertilizing, 

 good culture, and rotation of crop are very important and are good 

 preventatives. I think it advisable to spray plants before setting 

 in the field, as this helps largely to keep off flea beetles and potato 

 bugs. I use the 5-5-50 formula, and one pound of arsenate of lead. 

 This sticks better than Paris green, and does not burn the foliage. 

 The cut- worm seems to be our worst enemy. At times we have found 

 them as bad on old ground as on sod. I use poisoned bran mash, 

 putting a teaspoonful beside each plant and slightly covering it with 

 dirt. In making this use one gallon of black molasses and two 

 gallons of warm water. Mix molasses and water with one-half 

 pound of Paris green, and add all the bran that can be stirred in, 

 mixing thoroughly. 



