MILDEW AFFECTS TOMATO PUNTS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 30 November 1938, Page 6

MILDEW AFFECTS TOMATO PUNTS

PREVALENT IN NELSON GLASSHOUSES NO DANGER TO MAIN CROP The present muggy damp weather has encouraged the spread of mildew in Nelson’s commercial tomato glassI houses. In many of the houses in the l Wood and other parts of the town the mildew made its upeparance two weeks i ago on the lower foliage, and the wea- ! ther this week has resulted in the I spread of the disease to the upper parts |of the plants where it is affecting the ; later flowers, many of which are falling off. The commercial growers are troubled by the mildew nearly every season, but it does not affect the main crops of tomatoes to any appreciable extent if the fruit is well set before the foliage is affected A number of glasshouses were inspeced yesterday by a “Mail” representative, and some good heavy crops were seen. The growers expressed the opinion that though the spread of the mildew was disconcerting the main crop would not suffer. If the later glasshouse crop was affected by the middew it was not a serious matter as there would be a plentiful supply of outdoorgrown tomatoes later in the season INCREASING SHIPMENTS TO OUTSIDE MARKETS Increasingly large shipments are being made from Nelson gardens to Wellington and Christchurch markets, and to date the prices realised have ranged from Is 4d per lb. to Is per lb. for well ripened fruit. A Nelson grower who visited the Wellington markets last week saw quantities of green tomatoes sold at 7d per lb., but the quality was not good. Last week the retail price for good red tomatoes in Wellington shops was 2s 6d per lb.