Peninsula Enterprise

Since tomatoes are becoming such an important crop in Accomack County, it is interesting to learn what results are being obtained in other sections. Up in New Jersey there is a club of tomato growers, and to become a member the grower must produce 10 tons of tomatoes per acre. Last year there were 121 members.

Of the acreage set by these growers, half was planted with the Marglobe variety and 46 per cent with the Rutgers variety. It was noted that where high yields were obtained, the plants were in the fields by May 15. A third of the growers used a 5-8-7 fertilizer and a fourth of them used a 4-8-10 mixture. Many of the growers have had a high degree of success in getting tomato plants off to a rapid start by using a nutrient solution in the transplanter. This solution consists of four parts of 16 or 20 per cent superphosphate, one part of calnitro, 16 to 20 per cent, and one part of nitrate of potash, 13 per cent nitrogen and 44 per cent potash. Four to six pounds of this mixture were added to 50 gallons of transplanting water before starting to set the plants.