TOMATO GROWING WITHOUT WATER.

Colonist, Volume LVIII, Issue 14337, 13 February 1917, Page 2

TOMATO GROWING WITHOUT WATER.

Tomato growers in this district wi!J bo interested in the following article on this subject which appeal's in tho'Journal of Agriculture" by Mr S. F. Anderson, of the Horticulture Division : —

It is the custom in growing tomatoes under glass to treat the plant as one requiring .a large amount of manure and copious watering, and too often a close atmosphere. This method of treat-

ment has been copied by one grower from the other throughout the country, with the result that few houses can be found where fungoid diseases are not | giving much trouble. When once such j diseases make an appearance tlieir I spread is so rapid, that it is almoet | useless to attempt complete control. In ■ many cases the grower is thankful if ho can mature the first truss' or so of fruit before the plants die. In our climate, froih the North Cape to the south of Christchurch, the tomato may be stated as a hardy outdoorplant for nearly five months in the year. We do experience bad years for them and other plants occasionally, but under glass bad weather conditions should not so much matter.

With a view to demonstrating in a practical manner that the conditions generally given to tomatoes under glass are capable of considerable latitude, Mr W. H. Taylor, manager of the Arataid Horticultural Station, has during the present season conducted an experiment

of which the following is a brief account. '

The variety used was Stirling Castle,

This is not a favourite tomato, but was the only one available at the time the experiment was initiated. The plants (raised under glass) were obtained from

another place where tomatoes are largely grown under glass, and were more or less diseased when planted for the purpose of the experiment. They wero planted in a house that has glass sides to the ground. The situation of the house can be described as hot and dry. It is further robbed more or less of moisture by an asparagus bed, a rhubarb bed and other garden crops growing outside the end and the side of tho house. The soil of the house"to a depth of from 4in to sin was'as dry as pow-

der. The plants were put in on the 6th September, without any water or puddling; no manure was- given to them; the soil of tho house was nob watered, neither was any spraying done. Yet nearly full-coloured fruit was on some of the plants at the end

pf November. The plants were then about 4ft high, the growth being shortI jointed and strong, with four trusses of fruit on nearly all the plants, and others developing. There was no &.ign of any disease, not even the curling or closing' up of- the lower leaves so common in nearly all tomato plants grown I indoors. The fruit ripening was of a fair average size. These conditions were maintained as the ..season advanc- , ed, the plants being perfectly healthy and still bearing fruit when again seen .■Tjy the writer at New Year. . I The demonstration shows that by following this entirely different method of growing tomatoes under glass -th:a ! condition of a moist atmosphere, which Jis the chief cause of ■fungoid disease, lis removed. Here lies the strong point

for the consideration of the grower. By not giving water to tho surface soil, of the house the roots are encouraged down into the deeply worked soil. The plant then in its effort to obtain tho necessary moisture for its oxistenco does not, it is contended, produce that

soft, sappy condition that invites disease when subjected to rapid changes of draught and heat. The supply of air is most important. It should always be admitted by ventilation above tho plants, never low down.