xt7stq5r9h3s https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7stq5r9h3s/data/mets.xml   Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station. 1930 journals kaes_circulars_001_2_126_02 English Lexington : The Service, 1913-1958. Contact the Special Collections Research Center for information regarding rights and use of this collection. Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station Circular (Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station) n. 126 text Circular (Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station) n. 126 1930 2014 true xt7stq5r9h3s section xt7stq5r9h3s . gg T   __{.*/ir,
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, COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE
Extension Division
THOMAS P. COOPER, Dean and Director
CIRCULAR NO. 126
(Revised)
Tomato Project
Junior 4-H Clubs
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JUNIOR
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Lexington, Ky.
March, 1930.
Published in connection with the agricultural extension work carried on
by cooperation of the College of Agriculture, University of Kentucky, with
. the U. S. Department of Agriculture, and distributed in furtherance of the
  work provided for in the Act of Congress of May 8, 1914.
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OBJECT OF THE PROJECT
1. To teach club members the best methods ot tomato culture
for market and for home canning.
2. To teach club members how to keep an accurate record of u.
farm enterprise.
REQUIREMENTS
1. Both boys and girls between 10 and 18 years of age, inclusive,
may enter the tomato project.
2. Members working on the project shall make a special study
of tomatoes and tomato culture.
3. Each member shall raise 1/10 acre or more.
4. The county agent or two disinterested persons designated by
him must attest the measurement of the land and the yield and sign
the record book.
5. The members shall prepare the ground, raise the plants and
set them, cultivate and harvest the crop, and select the tomatoes for
their exhibits.
_ 6. Each member must keep an accurate record of all items of
expense, receipts, etc., in a record book provided by the Agricultural
Extension Division of the College of Agriculture.
7. Each member should make an exhibit ot a plate of tive toma-
toes at his county or district fair, or at a local club show.
8. Each member must write a short story of his or her project;
subject, "How I Grew My Tomatoes."
9. At the close of the project the record book and story must
be forwarded to the County or Home Demonstration Agent.
10. Basis of award:
Largest yield on 1/10 acre .............................................................. 30 D0i1l¥S
Greatest net return .......................................................................... 30 D0i11iS
Best exhibit .._..................................................................................... 20 points ·
Best story and record book .......................................................... 20 D0i¤£S
100 points

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CIRCULAR NO. 126
(Revised)
s
Tomato Project
n.
Junior 4-H Clubs
BY A. J. OLNEY
?» ji.-
Y The tomato is one of the leading vegetables of the home and
market garden a11d is grown extensively for tl1e canning industry
,y in Kentucky. It is called a "warm season" crop because it
;¤ requires warm temperatures for successful culture. The con-
sumption of tomatoes has increased in recent years because they
ld have been found to eontain vitamins and f`ood elements essen-
H tial to health. The details of tomato culture outlined in this
Of circular are designed to give the club member experience
al which will enable him to grow tomatoes successfully.
g,. GROWING THE PLANTS
t_ The seed used by all members of a club should be of the
' same strain of the variety to be grown. Bonny Best, 3[arglobe.
st and June Pink are suggested for early varieties, and Stone,
Greater Baltimore and Norton. for late varieties. If previous
crops grown in the community have been aHected with tomato
ts wilt the Marglobe or Xprton varieties should be used. The Club
ts Leader should buy enough seed in the beginning for all the
its · members of his club, to insure its uniformity.
M The date for sowing tomato seed depends on the purpose of
the crop. If the intention is to sell the crop on the market as
M fresh fruit, the seed should be sown about March 10th. This is
necessary because large, stocky plants should be ready to set in
the field about May lst, in order to ripen fruit before the low
prices of August. If the C1'Op is to be used for the home table
or canning, the seed may be sown in late March or early April.

 4 Iicntuc/ey livtcrusion (Jirculavr N0. 126
A hotbed provides one of the best means for starting seed-
lings and caring for them until they are ready to l·c set in the
field.
Prcpara,tion of a» Hotbcd. A two-sash hotbcd may be large
enough to grow the required number of plants, provided there
are no mishaps, but it will be much safer to grow a number of
ext1·a plants and use only tl1c best; therefore a three-sash hot-
bed is advised. Select a sunny place, protected from strong
winds if possible, illltl convenient for watering and caring for
the plants. Lay out the boundaries of the hotbed, 6 feet wide
and 9 feet long for a three-sash hotbed, the long way running
east and west, and dig out. the soil to a depth of 1S inches. A
frame is then built. around the pit thus formed with the north
side extending about 12 inches above the ground and the south
side about 6 inches and boarded across the ends. The sash
when laid on the top will slope to the south. Standard sash are
3x6 feet and may be purchased thru your hardware or lumber
dealer.
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Figure 1. A three-sash hotbed.

 Tomato Project for Junior 4-11 Clubs 5
_ Horse manure is the best heating material for the hotbed.
., It is desirable to have a moderate amount of straw in the manure.
Manure mixed with shavings, used as bedding material, is not
B satisfactory. The manure is taken fresh from the stable and
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6 lfentuclay E.vlc·n.sio—n (Jircular N0. 126
placed in a flat-topped pile. lf it is dry at the time of piling
it should be moistened so that fermentation will start at once.
Repile the manure in 3 or 4 days to insure uniform heating of
the entire mass. ln about 10 days the manure is ready to put
into the pit. Successive layers of 5 or U inches are spread and
tramped firmly, especially in the corners and around thc edge.
The manure will settle -1 or 5 inches and allowance should be
made for this. After the pit is tilled with packed manure it is
ready for the soil. First spread a layer of soil, 3 inches deep
made by mixing equal parts of rather tint-, unsifted compost
(rotted manure) and good garden loam. tfover this with an
inch and a half layer of soil made by sifting one part of com-
post and two parts of garden loam tln·u a sieve with about 4
meshes to the inch. The surface of the soil now should be about
two inches above the ground surface. Cover with sash and test
the temperature of the bed with a thermometer, preferably one
made for the purpose. In a short time the temperature should
rise to 100 degrees Fahrenheit or over, but in about a week will
fall to 80 or 85 degrees. The bed is ready now to receive the
seed Hat.
Solving the Seed. Sow the seed in a flat. A flat is a shal-
low box. Convenient dimensions are 2% inches deep, 15 inches
wide, 2 feet long. The boards forming the bottom should be
left somewhat open to allow free drainage.
Fill the flat to within an inch of the top with soil prepared
by mixing two parts of good garden loam with o11e part of fine,
well-rotted manure. Then add a half inch layer of clean sand.
Level and firm the soil and lay off furrows 1/; inch deep and 2%
inches apart, the narrow way of the flat, allowing 11/Q inch space
at the ends. Sow the seeds, not to exceed 10 to the inch, firm
gently, and close the furrow. Cover the flat with a piece of
cheesecloth or tobacco muslin, water, and place in the hot bed.
Care 0f the Seedlings. Transplant the seedlings into the
hotbed as soon as they are about an inch and a half tall and be-
ginning to form their second leaves. Space the plants 3 inches
apart in rows 3 inches apart, setting them slightly deeper than
they grew in the flat and pressing the soil firmly about the roots.
I

 Tomato l’ro_jcef for Junior ·i-I1 Clubs 7
ling Tomatoes grow best at a temperature of about 70 degrees
HCC- Fahrenheit during the day and preferably not lower than 60
g of degrees during tl1e night. lt may be necessary to cover the hot-
put bed during cold weather to maintain this temperature.
and \Vatering the young plants and ventilation require even ·
dge. more careful attention than the temperature. Ovcrwatcring will
l he result in weak or diseased plants. lf allowed to become too dry
it is the plants soon become stuntcd. While tl1e plants are small they
leep should be watered o11ly in tl1e mornings of bright, sunny days,
post so that the foliage will become dry before night. If the plants are
1 an wet at nightfall, the conditions for "damping-off" are favorable
som- and 1nay result in considerable loss. Never water during cloudy
ut 4 weather unless absolutely necessary. Whenever water is applied
bout it should be used liberally and then withheld until it is needed
test again. After watering, it is desirable to ventilate as much as
one possible without chilling the plants or causing a direct draft
ould upon them. The outside air should be admitted cautiously. at
will first, while tl1e seedlings are tender, but ventilation should be
e the increased each day, if possible, until tl1e sash finally is removed
entirely during warm weather. This process will "harden ofi"’
Simp the plants by the time they are to be set in the field.
iehes
d be THE FIELD
A deep, loamy, well-drained soil is best. suited for tomatoes.
»a1·ed Good tobacco land is usually satisfactory and a level or slightly
fine, rolling site is preferred.
sand. Convenient dimensions for a 1/10 acre plot, are 40 feet by
l21{, 109 feet. This allows 10 rows of 54 plants each, 4 feet apart,
;paég with plants set 2 feet apart in the row.
firm
EQ Of PREPARATION OF THE SOIL
bild- The proper preparation of the soil is one of the most
i the important steps in successful tomato culture. Apply one ton of
d be- stable manure before plowing. The plowing is done preferably
aches in the fall and the ground should be disked frequently in the
than spring until planting time. Apply 25 pounds of superphos—
roots. phate to soils deficient in phosphorus before the last disking.

 I
S Kentucky 1n'.rlt*nsiou (jireulur N0. 126
TRANSPLANTING TO THE FIELD
The earliest planting date is about May lst in most parts of
Kentucky, but May 15th generally is safer. i\\'iI.tC1‘ the plants
in the bed thoroly, a few hours before setting so that plenty of
soil will eli11g to the 1·oots. lt is desirable to transplant to the
field 011 a eloudy day or late in the afternoon so that the plants
may beco111e established somewhat before being subjected to the
l1ot sun.
STAKING AND TRAINING
The plants should be staked soon after planting. A 5-foot
stake driven i11to tl1e ground is satisfactory. Go over each plant
occasionally a11d cut out all suckers, leavi11g a single stem which
is tied to the stake with a heavy cord. About 3 or 4 tyings will
, be required to hold the SYCIII until it has reached the top of the
stake.
Plantings of areas larger tllilll 1/ 10 ac1·e usually should be
grown without stakes and the plants should be set 4 feet by 4
_ feet for soils of moderate fertility, o1· 4 feet by 5 feet for strong
. soils.
CULTIVATION
Shallow cultivation to destroy weeds should begin soon
after planting. lf tl1e plants are staked, cultivation should be
continued thruout the season; if not, cultivation should cease
soon after the plants begin to spread over the ground.
INSECTS AND DISEASES
As a rule tomatoes are not affected seriously by insects. If
cutworms are troublesome when the plants are small, they Hlily
be controlled by using a poisoned bran-mash bait made by mix-
ing 12 pounds of bran with a pound of paris green or a half a
pound of white arsenic. This is moistened by stirring in some
water containing a little molasses. Mix thoroly. Scatter the bait
on the ground a few days before the plants are to be set out and
again at setting time. CAUTION. This mash will kill chickens
or anything else that may eat it.

 Tomato Projcol for Juinior 1-]] Clubs V 9
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trol of The worms.

 l
10 Kentucky E.rfe71si`0n CireuIai· No. ISU
Leaf-spot and leaf-blight may be eontrolled by frequent
applications of Bordeaux mixture applied as soon as these
diseases appear. -
Tomato wilt is a serious fungous disease. The whole plant
yellows and finally dies. The gerin whieh eauses this disease
lives in the soil as well as in the plant. Rotation of crops and
the use of disease-resistant varieties as, for example. Norton
and Marglobe. are the only etfeetive preventives.
HARVESTING
Tomatoes for shipping should be pieked just as the fruits
begin to show pink; for table use. eanning or loeal market they
should be pieked as soon as they are eolored well. Tomato piek·
ing. at best. is unpleasant heeanse of the stains on the elothes
and hands of the piekers. 'l`he stains on the hands may be
removed quite readily by applying the jniee of a rotten or soft
tomato before washing. il/I soft or tlisetmtl spit [mens sltould
° be 1·e2it0t·t‘