THE TOMATO CROP.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19806, 29 November 1927, Page 16

THE TOMATO CROP.

NECESSARY ATTENTION. The tomato crop is one of the most important in the garden and there are various items which should be attended to. Provide support for newly-planted crops. Strong stakes are necessary in order to withstand strong winds. As the plants increase in size fresh ties will have to be made to secure the plants to the stakes. Spraying operations are of great importance in connection with tomato culture and should be carried out thoroughly. Applications should bo made at fairly regular intervals, of about throe weeks. There is no definite interval, however, for the weather will influence flic length of the period. If, at any timo, the weather should become humid, or " muggy" it is imperative that a spraying bo made, even if it is not quite due. It is during humid weather that the plants are most likely to become infected. The fungous pests which need to bo treated in this manner are Irish blight and black spot. Suitable sprays to use for the purpose of combating these diseases are Bordeaux, 4-4-40 , and lime sulphur, 1 in 50. Minimising Danger of Infection. In order to minimise the danger of infection from Irish blight, all diseased portions of plants should be cut out and burned. The Irish blight soon develops spores and these are easily dispersed. If one is neglectful, or if infection is very sudden, a plant will become practically wholly infected. When this occurs there is no hope for the plant and it must bo pulled up and burned. Spraying is necessary also to combat insect pests, of which caterpillars are the most destructive. Applications of arsenate of lead, lo?:. of powder to three gallons, at intervals from the time the first bunch of fruit sets, constitute the best method of keeping caterpillars under control. Successive sprayings will be necessary and the length of the interval between will be dependent on the development of the buncnes of flowers. As each lot of fruit sets it should be sprayed. At each application the whole plant should bo covered in order to protect the earlier bunches of fruit still. The " sleepy" disease is another pest of the tomato. This causes the plants to-droop, and change to an unhealthy-look-ing colour. Any plants that become affected in this manner must be pulled up immediately and burned. Furthermore, as the trouble occurs in the roots also, and as the fungus can remain in the soil for some time, it is essential to destroy all spores in the ground. In order to do this the ground around the plant should be removed and sterilised to destroy the spores it contains. This may be done by throwing the soil into a good rubbish fire. Applying Liquid Manure. Other necessary attention about this time consists of 'applying liquid manure. This should not be applied, however, until the plants have developed sufficiently to receive it without their production of fruit being upset. A vigorous growth does not auger well for a heavy crop, and so the ground is not enriched too bountifully for tomatoes. Once the fruit is set, however, it is fairly safo to give the plants a little more food, but even then one must differentiate between the right and the wrong foods. The latter are they that will, even at that late stage, lessen the yield. The chief of these' is nitrogen and one must refrain from using the fertilisers containing this food in any quantity. The right foods are those "which increase the yield, namely, phosphatic and potassic fertilis- \ good solution to be used as a liquid manure may be made from superphosphate and" sulphate of potash, One ounce of superphosphate and 20zof the suphate of potash may be dissolved to every gallon of water and the solution may be applied at the rate of 1 gallon to every four plants This application should not be made before the first few bunches of fruit have set. A second application/ may be made later on, when the fruits are' all, or mostly all, set, as their development will be aided by this particular mixture. It is necessary to suppress all lateral growths which will develop. These are useless from the point of view of yield, for ■ they use up sap that otherwise would "bo utilised by tho developing fruits. j