THE TOMATO INDUSTRY OF THE ARKANSAS VALLEY. 5 
It is common practice to plant the tomato on im¬ 
poverished land or on land quite sandy, where it would 
not be expected to get good returns from most other 
crops. The opinion seems to be wide spread that a well 
enriched soil is positively detrimental to the tomato. 
Tomatoes yielding six tons per acre will take from 
the soil 25 lbs. of potash, 18 lbs. of nitrogen and 8 lbs. of 
phosphoric acid. The vines will require 34 lbs., 28 lbs. 
and 4 lbs. respectively. A crop of tomatoes removes 
twice as much potash and over fifty per cent, more nitro¬ 
gen than either a crop of Irish or sweet potatoes. Thus 
we see that the tomato, contrary to opinion, is a gross 
feeder. It may appear as composed mostly of water but 
there is an immense seed production that demands con 
siderable fertility. 
Prof. Bailey, of New York, after experimenting with 
fertilizers for this crop a number of years has the follow¬ 
ing to say: 
“It is a common belief that the tomato, unlike most plants, is 
not benefitted by rich soil or heavy manuring. Our tests give uni¬ 
formly heavier yields in heavily fertilized land. There is some rea¬ 
son for the widespread belief to the contrary. Much may depend up¬ 
on the soil and still more upon the character of the fertilizer. It 
should be one quickly available to the plant. Fertilizers that give up 
their substance late in the season give poor results because they de¬ 
lay fruitfulness. 
Prof. Earle, of Alabama, says there are but few soils in 
that state rich enough to grow satisfactory crops of toma¬ 
toes without fertilization. The following conclusions are 
drawn from careful experiments in New Jersey. 
“That nitrogen is an important element in growing tomatoes. 
With sand, the increase in the use of nitrate is nearly five times that 
with minerals only. That a full supply of nitrogen is more effective 
on a sandy than on a clay soil.” 
Growers of tomatoes in Mississippi use on fairly good 
land, 400 lbs. of cotton seed meal, 400 lbs. of acid phos¬ 
phate and 100 lbs. of Kainit per acre. 
All of the above places have conditions naturally 
more congenial to the tomato than are our conditions. 
The season is much longer, the nights warmer and yet we 
see how essential they consider it to push the plant for¬ 
ward. 
EXPERIMENTS IN IQOO. 
The Perfection and the Stone were the varieties used 
in the trials. The seed was put in the hot-beds 
about the first of April, intending to have the plants 
ready to set in the open field about the 10th of May. It 
was not the intention to do any transplanting. The soil 
