106 



TOMATOES FOR MARKET .IXD CAXXIXG 



Mr. Work: Do you have much encouragement in trying for 

 extreme early production for shipping, or do you find that ^larietta 

 and other southern sections can compete more successfully on the 

 markets? 



Mr. Cook: Our extreme early shipments go to nearby markets. 

 We don't compete for earliness with our southern sections. Marietta 

 is perhaps one of the best tomato growing sections in this country as 

 to price. I understand now they are badly afi'ected with disease, 

 but as to price, they hold the market for a certain time and make a 

 great deal of money. Our early tomatoes commence to move when 

 their shipments are quite hea^w, and it doesn't pay us to ship into 

 their markets. We supply a radius of one hundred miles at good 

 prices — as high as a dollar and a quarter for a twenty-pound basket 

 for two or three weeks at a time. It is very speculative when shipping 

 in carlots. It is the average market through the season that you 

 must count on. 



Question : How early in July do you usually get your first fruits? 



Mr. Cook: Some years we have had fruits about the twenty- 

 fifth. It is well towards the first of August before there is any hea\w 

 movement. 



Question: Are you troubled with black rot? 



Mr. Cook: Only at times. It is caused by dry weather for one 

 thing. I know irrigation would help in preventing this. 



Question: What form of irrigation? 



Mr. Cook: I would recommend the Skinner irrigation. 



