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Show TOMATO CROP COMES TO STAY Conditions ideal in Utah But Care Essential for Success (T. H Abel, Assistant Horticulturist, U. A. C.) The tomato Bfl crop for the l iah canning factories h;.'s come to stay. Markets have been developed tor ih" Roods, we have proper types of oll and climate i"t tUC bo.-t development of ihe plants and fruits, and the profits prof-its to both grower and packer haw j been good. With such a combination ,' i ml lions, the Industry Is bound to be successful. tine condition which has helped the tomato Industry In 1'tah Is the fact that up to a recent date the tomato grower has oncount red comparatively tew difficulties in the way of insect peaus or diseases or other factors conducive con-ducive to crop failure Within recent y oars i however, largely because of growing tin- same crop on the land year after year, certain diseases have been introduced that ore getting a strong foothold. This moans .that the time is rapidly approaching, ami Is even now upon us, when most careful care-ful meihods will be necessary for the production of a profitable crop In .some cases the care exercised by tho grower will mean the dlfierence be tween profit and total failure These failures can be averted if Ihe grower Is willing to maintain sanitary condi tlons In his seed beds and fields, and take pains to raise good healthy plants that are more capable of withstanding with-standing the onslaught of disease. INSPECTION TRIPS MADE. The write liaa made some interest-mu' interest-mu' ' rips through the tomato sect ions I of the state. Many growers have been Interviewed and many hot beds, cold-frames cold-frames and gTcen houses Inspected. Among the many types of structures and tho many methods used, those which produce the healthiest, most ; vigorous plants by petting out time, gnvo tho best yields in the fields Whenever there were any Indications Indica-tions that the grower's watchfulness had slackened even for a short period, wherever the conditions were detrt-, mental to the best ncallh of the plants, or wherever the plants were ' made to grow weak and spindling, the best results were not obtained. After a careful survey of the situation situa-tion in Utah, it la quite evident that to produce the most profitable crops of tomatoes, the grower must give particular attention to about four phases of the work. They are Sanitation, Sani-tation, properly prepared soil, pood ; seed and the production of large I I , A n I t K , ! SANITATION MOST IMPORTANT. All four phases are important, but i the success of the last three are all I dependent upon the first sanitation. I In a few words, sanitation Is the pre i vent ion of the spread' of disease from place to place upon the farm. It mav ' mean the abandonment ol a certain ' field for tomato growing for a season or more; it may mean the securing of new soil for the hot -bed; it may mean the careful disposal of any waste Irrl-'gation Irrl-'gation water from an infected field or ! portion of a field; it may mean a spraying program. Evcntunlly our' pathologists muy discover prevent lyei spraying solution for some diseases, j but until that time the diseases must j be avoided in other ways. Most tomato growers probably give j their soils the proper attention, but we might profit by the experience of other states that have found a legu mlnous cover crop one of the essential operations in preparation for toma-i toma-i toes. FIRM TOMATO NEEDED. The average grower realizes the importance im-portance of having a high yielding, lirm tomato and seed of high germlna I five ability. After determining what ( variety Is best for his locality, the grower then should endeavor to secure the best strain of Ihe vurletv The department of horticulture oi the Utah Agricultural experiment station Is con-I con-I ductins some experiments along this line. For the past two summers they I have compared the lelds of about 90 is.'ralns of tomatoes, finding wide differences dif-ferences in yield between the same varieties from different seed compan lies. In one Instance s certain variety produced twenty-two pounds of mar Rotable fruit to the plant, while the ' same variety from another seed house ; produced only twelve pounds to the planl. A difference of ten pounds to the plant means a difference of nearly j three tons to the acre, an Item one-can one-can hardly afford to overlook. PRODUCING HEALTHY PLANTS The fourth important phae. the production of healthy plants, should I receive the careful attention of hvery : grower. Experience of men in this state and other. shows that it pa8 I to produce vigorous, hardy, large-root-j ed plants. They cannot be produced J If the plants are crowded or If the i . ventilation Is poor The ideal plan, ma. require morv cure and more hul bod space, but It results in bigger-crops. bigger-crops. Some growers prefer oue meth i od and others another. Various good I methods have been developed In man I sections. Methods, however, are see ondary only to results. In our hot : beds at the college some very excellent excel-lent plants have been produced by tol-lowing tol-lowing approved methods, ami the return-" have more than Justified the I I j tra care involved. To be most successful the tomato grower must pay special attention to j the details of his business. |