Booklet by Bettie Hobgood, tomato club

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Booklet by Bettie Hobgood. 1915.

The reason I joined the canning club is because I had such a good time last year canning, and thought it would be a good way to make a little money to buy xmas. presents with, to give to some of my friends. And I took great pleasure in gathering and canning the pretty nice tomatoes.

The size of my garden is one-tenth acre. It was on the side of a hill in a very fertile place. The soil was rich and sandy. The reason I selected that place was because I thought it would be [illegible][crossed out] suitable for tomatoes where no insects would bother.

The way I prepared my garden was I had it ploughed with a two horse plow so as to kill the weeds. Then I had it cut up with a cut-away harrow real fine just before planting. When I got ready to set the plants I had the rowe [?] run off and drilled fertilizer and manure in them. Bedded up the land and patted hills

about three feet apart. Then it was ready for planting.

I used Baugh's fertilizer because it suited the land better than any other kind. I had two pecks applied just before planting.

The way I raised my plants was in a hot bed. so as to bring them in early as I planted the seed kinder late.

The way I cultivated my plants was I had them plowed and worked with a hoe. Then later I had them plowed again. They grew so fast they didn't give me time to have them plowed three times. I didn't frame or stake them because I thought they would do just as well with out it.

It happened that I had good luck. No insects or diseases attacked my plants.

I gathered my tomatoes about twice a week and put all the sound ones in one place and all the diseased ones in another.

But didn't market any fresh.

I didn't plant any-thing but tomatoes on my plot.

The way I did my canning was after I gathered my tomatoes I washed them put them in the wine basket dropped them in boiling water for one minute took them out put into cold water. Then pealed [peeled] them. washed the cans packed them as full as could be. Put in tablespoons full of salt. Then heated the capping steel. Put a little acid around the top and sealed it leaving the littl hole on top open. Then put the cans in the basket dropped them in the water for about three minutes. Took them out heated the tipping iron, put a little acid on the little hole in the top of the can. Then put some solder on the hole and melted it with the iron which made the can air tight. Put in the basket dropped in the canner After the water began to boil I let them

these in there twenty five minutes. Then take them out and store away. The emblem of the lables [labels] is To make the better best.

We have had some awful good times this summer when our club would meet aat Enon School House. Some times we would have demonstrations in making candy, salids or other things. We would have something to serve most every time. The people in our community took great intrest [interest] in our work and would try to encourage me in every way they could.

I have learned how to can many kind of vegetables since I have been a member of the club. and find they are very nice to have in the winter and spring. I hav also used a good many recipes which were splendid, especially tomato catsup, green tomato pickle & [?] chow chow.

My crop yielded 600 lbs of tomatoes