recent studies with varieties of canning tomatoes for mechanical harvesting support tests and observations during the past four years emphasizing the effectiveness of date of planting. An orderly and continuous supply of fruit to the processor can be assured only through the use of properly spaced planting dates. During the 1965 season, more than 200 machines are expected to be used in harvesting a potential 20,000 acres-about 17 to 20% of California's average annual canning tomato production.