TOMATO GROWING

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18382, 28 September 1929, Page 10

TOMATO GROWING

EXPERIMENTS IN NELSON. Reporting on tomato experiments conducted by the Cawthorn Institute last season, Mr T. Rigg, assistant director of the Institute, stated that sulphur and White Island fertiliser were tested. Both fertiliser.! were used at the rate of 9001 b. per acre, and in each case they were raked into ttie soil before planting, reports the Nelson correspondent of the “Weekly News.” A standard manure consisting of 4001 b. superphosphate, 3001 b. sulphate of potash, 1001 b. sulphate of ammonia and 1001 b. of dried blood per acre, was used .on all the plots, including the controls.

A careful record of fruit on the tomato plants was made throughout the season, with the following results: — Standard manure, lb. per plant 4.43; range of ex perimental error, 19. Standard manure plus sulphur, lb. per plant 4.75; range of experimental error, .08.

Standard manure plus White Island fertiliser lb. per plants 4.51; range of experimental error, .13. The differences in yield of the plants under the three treatments were so small as to lie within the "probable error” attached to the experiment. The results suggest that sulphur and White Island fertiliser are not required as plant food for tomatoes on Nelson soil. Paper mulching experiments were also conducted by the Institute, building paper and saturated felt being used. Mr Rigg stated that a considerable increase in yield was obtained through paper mulching on the light gravelly soil at Stoke, but the benefits obtained did not appear to be sufficient to warrant its use in the commercial culture of tomatoes owing to the cost of the paper and of labour in laying it.