Tomato history 1914

TOMATO HISTORY 1914 Minnie Bailey

[1]

Why I joined the Canning Club.

While in school last fall my teacher was trying to get all the girls in school interested in this club I became interested and joined this happy band of farmers daughters.

Description of my garden size location kind of soil and why selected.

my garden was on a drain 132 by 33 which was the size required for the plot sandy [?] loam soil.

I selected this because it was drain tomatoes needed so it would not be to wet.

[2]

Preparation of soil best way of doing this and reason for same.

first I scattered the manure over the plot plowd [plowed] and let stand awhile plowed and harrowed until soft

How tomato plants were grown inches long hot bed cold frame transplanting etc.

My plants were grown in hot bed which was dug up until soft the seed sown in rows which done fine in this way.

Cultivation pruning steaking plants.

I cultivated my plants real

[3]

often to keep the soil soft and keep general green down which was a pretty bold little man sometimes.

Insects and diseases which attacted [attacked] my garden how I fought them.

Insects was my greatest trouble the potato beetle tried to ruin my plants they did ruin a good many. I did not do as well as some of the girls did but I conquered them at last with paris green - this sounds like I meant the girls but it was the beetle I meant.

[4]

The harvesting of tomatoes how to grade pack and market.

I have learned that to harvest tomatoes was to gather when turning pink but I found out afterwards that it was best to leave on tree until ripe I selected the firm spotless fruit for my cans.

How I did my canning preserving etc. The girls club label and measuring of the emblem.

my canning was a pleasure as I enjoy the work of packing sealing and cooking. I harvested in a [illegible] and cooked in a pot as we could not get a canning outset this time