10—Lancaster Farming, Friday, August 23, 1958
Defoliation of
Tomato Plants
May Be Helpful
Tomato growers throughout the
country are asking about the ad
visability of defoliating toma
toes This article is designed to
give tomato glowers food for
thought, it does not supply a
final answer to the question
“ Shiuld I defoliate my crop 9 ’
To different groups of chemi
cals have been used to kill foli
age of growing plants
Dessicants, such as pentachloro
phenol, potassium cyanate, and
cyanamide, dust, kill the foliage,
but usually do not cause leave to
abscise or drop from the plant
These materials often cause in
jury to tomato fruits contacted
by the chemical, so they are not
desirable for tomato defoliation.
True defoliants, sued as mag
nesium and or sodium chloride,
tetraborate and pentaborate, nor
mally cause leaes to drop from
the plant Because these chemi
cals apparently have very little
toxic effect on the fruit, they are
the materials commonly used in
tomato defoliation
Observations in California last
a ear indicated that defohatioh
late m the season tended to in
crease amount of fruit picked by
approximately two tons per acre,
while at the same time it appear
ed to increase amount of shnevel
mg, reduce amount of mold and
improve fruit color
Although experimental data on
the effects of tomato defoliation
are quite limited at the present
time, research is m progress at
various experiment stations from
New York to California, so that
within a few yeais the picture
should be much more definite In
the meantime observations and
experience suggest the following
possibilities
Defoliation might pay
1 If fruit is undamaged
2 If mold is reduced, due to
belter air movement through,
and more lapid drying of, de
foliated plants
3 If a laboi ciew late in the
season, will stay on the job to
HEAR
The Mennonite Hour
Each Sunday
Lancaster WLAN 1230 P. M,
Norristown 8:00 A. M.
Hanover WHVR 1;0 o P. M.
/
V
X
Strong “Package”
Big, strong-shelled eggs are
scarce and wanted.
The U.S D A says that strong
shells plus good whites, help to
hold Fresh Quality longer
You can have your Egg Quality
Program "built in’’ if your layers
are Mount Hope Queens We break
out thousands of eggs, so we are
sure
QUEEN eggs are really High
Quality m a Strong "Package’’
just what you need for highest
prices Breakage alone is said to
cost $3OO a year on a 2000 bird
plant.
. Mount Hope Queen chicks can
be bought year round
Johnson’s
Hatchery
MOUNT HOPE
EPHRATA
Ph. RE 3-2980
Valuable Farms Sold
In Lancaster County
Two valuable farms in the Lan
caster Farming area were sold a +
public sale last Wednesday
Henry H Shelly of RD2, Man
heim. Pa purchased the “River
Farm” which belonged to Hofler
Brothers of Elizabethtown, Pa
This farm lies along Route 441
and adjoins the Susquehanna
River just north of Falmouth.
The farm contains over 107
acres and was sold at $460 00 per
acre for a total sales price of
$49,335 00.
The “Conewago Farm” owned
by Hoffer Brothers lies just out
side of Elizabethtown and is part
ly m Lancaster and partly in
Dauphin County It contains 311
acres and was sold to V D Lei
sure. a tire distributor of Harris
burg, for $53,500 00 The new
owner propose to stock it with
Angus cattel. Walter K. Dupe->
harvest defoliated plants when
they will not stay to harvest non
defoliated plants
4 If ripening is hastened or if
>ield is increased.
Defoliation might not pay
1 If fruit is damaged, either
directly or indirectly
2 If mold or fiuit fly popula
tion is increased.
3 If tonnage is lost because
unexpectedly favorable weather
conditions continue for several
weeks following defoliation Once
the plants are defoliated, photo
synthesis stops and no more
growth or production can occur
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ts
Livestock Feeds
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~k Diazinon Fly Spray ★ Baler Twine
★ Ortho Fly Bait ★ Rye Grass
ic Canadian Pasture Grass
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Add Red Rose Dairy Feeds or Red Rose Supplements
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WEST WILLOW FARMERS MUSSER FARMS, INC.
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A. L. HERR & BRO. DAVID B. HURST
Quarryville, Pa. Bowmansviile, Pa.
R. W. BOLLINGER & SONS
I JVC, BROWN & REA
Manheim, Pa, Atglen, Pa.
Tomato growers should care
fully study the pros and cons be
fore contracting for a defoliation
30b Remember that every geld is
different, and each case must be
decided on its own merits Nev
er defoliate more than two weeks
before canneries aie expected to
close for the season, and never
defoliate except in fields where
foliage is heavy and green and
large numbers of ripe fruit are
hidden from the pickeis Use de
foliants rather than dessicants,
and never exceed the rates rec
ommended by the manufactuier
I ATTENTION DAIRYMEN
Limestone Sand For Use
D. M. STOLTZFUS & SON, INC.
Asphalt Paving & Crushed Stone
Quarryville STerling 6-219 T
for cleaner
* |. ..pick with a
They’re loaded with feature)
of the ears, cleaner husking
a
ifjr
f-ROW
Only a few minutes
are required to mount
this picker on Ford
Tricycle or 4-Wheel
Tractors.
Come in and see how ford’s exclusive
u Corn Saver” design can help you
(■lTi jmMiVil
Conestoga Farm Service
Park Ave.. Quarryville
Elizabethtown Farmers Supply Inc.
New Holland
Havers tick Bros.
Columbia Pike
For Your
In Dairy Barns
Call
Quarryville, Pa.
1 r „'v - C* . U--
FORP ;
MOUNTED
Allen H. Matz
Ph. AN 7,6502
Denver
Ph. EM 7-1341
Sander Bros.
Lancaster Ph. EX 2-5722
„pl
picks large acreages.
refit more!
Ph. RT 6-2591
Ph. EL 4-8721