Vol. XVII. No. 410. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS, 



the native type by being much less vigorous in growth, 

 by susceptibility to 'Blossom end-rot', and by the large, 

 meaty, well tiivoured but usually poorly shaped, ribbed 

 fruits. Ponderosa does not as a rule give a good crop 

 unless planted in late autumn. What is wanted is a tomato 

 which will fruit continuously throughout the year, and bear 

 fruits of a better quality than those of the native 



The F.l ijeneration. The plants of the first hybrid 

 generation were quite uniform. Planted in March 1917 

 they made vigorous growth, and produced a large crop. In 

 size the fruits were intermediate between the parents; in 

 shape they took after the native parent, being free from 

 ridues; in quality the fruits could best be described as 

 intermediate. The flavour was not so delicite as that of 

 Ponderosa, nor was the flesh so meaty. The fruits were, 

 however, quite suitable for table use As the plants grew 

 older, it was apparent that the continuous fruiting habit of 

 the native was behaving as a dominant, and from May 1917 

 to the present time abundant fruits have been produced. 

 It has to be recorded, however, th it the fruits of the F.l 

 generation were subject to 'Blossom-end-rot', though not to 

 any great extent. 



As tomatoes are very easily produced from cuttings, it 

 will be an easy matter to keep the F. 1 generation running 

 for as long a period as may be desired. 



The F:2 generation. About .300 plants were grown in 

 the second generation The cross was not being made the 

 subject of a genetic study, owing to lack of time, but the 

 following are the chief points noticed: — 



(a) In habit the plants ranged from that of Ponderosa 

 to that of native, apparently with no clear line of demarca- 

 tion. 



(b) Every plant was different in the general fruit char- 

 acters. There was an enormous range of sizes and shapes; 

 both the original parent shapes were reproduced, together 

 with many intermediates. 'There was a great variety of 

 flavours, and several new and attractive ones were recorded. 

 A most important point is that no fruits as large as those of 

 Ponderosa were found, and none quite so small as those of 

 the native. Most were of, or near the size of, the fruits of 

 the F.l. 



(c) During the five months the plants were under 

 observation, many were attacked by 'Blossom-end-rot', hut 

 others were apparently immune to this affection. The 

 disease caused by B. i-olanacearuiu appeared in the plot 

 while the plants wer.^ in the fruiting stage, and all the plants 

 finally succumbed. It was noticeable, however, that some 

 plants resisted the disease for a lona period, and these are 

 regarded as showing a partial resistance. This observation 

 is in accordance with the experiments of Dr. Nilsson-Ehle, 

 of the Svalnf Plant BreeHing Station. He found that when 

 two kinds of wheat were crossed, each of which was sus- 

 ceptible to the attacks of the rust disease, there were 

 produced in the second generation forms which were much 

 more resistant to rust than either parent, and other forms 

 which were more susceptible. Further, some of the forms 

 which were more resistant in the F.2 bred true to the 

 increased resistance in F.3. 



With reference to the opinion that rats act as carriers of 

 swine fever, a correspondent of the Veterinmy Record, Sep- 

 tember 22, 1917, states that they cannot act as pathological 

 carriers, though oossibly they may act as mechanical carriers 

 of the disea'^e, but that great importance need not be 

 attached to the influence of the rat in the spread of swine 

 fever. The diseased pig is and always hi»s been the chief 

 means of its spread. 



SCHOOL GARDENS IN JAMAICA. 



The following extracts from the report on the Education 

 Department, for the year ended March 31, 1917, submitted 

 to the Governor of Jamaica by the Acting Director of 

 Educition, Mr. F. E. Reed, appear worth noting a propoa 

 of the stimulated interest in the matters referred to. 



Under the head School Gardens, Mr. Reed remarks 

 that one of the Agricultural Instructors writes: 'The abnor- 

 mal prices for every description of imported foodstuffs gives 

 a unique opportunity to teachers to show to the scholars and 

 to the cultivators of their respective districts the neecessity 

 for not only providing enough food for their own immediate 

 requirements, but for that large and increasingly large 

 number of persons who are continually leaving the rural for 

 urban centres.' 



He goes on to report: — 



'The Agricultural Instructors have paid numerous visits 

 which have proved of yreat value to the teachers, and must 

 be of lasting benefit to the pupils. 



'The Jamaica Agricultural Society offered prizes during 

 the year for the best kept school gardens, and the competition 

 led to useful work, and encouraged the steady maintenance 

 of the work aU through the year.' 



Mr. Reed gives several other quotations ir-mi the 

 Agricultural Instructors' reports on School Gardens, a few of 

 which are reproduced below. One writes: — 



'Some of the gardens have done exceedingly useful 

 work in making trials of special crops in ray district, especi illy 

 with broom corn. There is no lack of interest on the part 

 of the children where even a fair garden is kepf, and I much 

 enjoy some of my visits when I meet the pupils. Some of 

 the gardens serve m useful purpose, while the best aru 

 invaluable. The main failing is due to lack of consistent 

 effort, especially as regards tidiness. Fences in many 

 gardens are still very inefficient.' 



Another remarks: — 



The weather conditions during the year were anything 

 but favourable to gardening operations. However, the 

 interest and generally useful character of the work has been 

 well maintained, and, taken in comparison with the work of 

 the previous year, good steady progress has been mide, and, 

 in comparison with a few years ago, present conditions are 

 very encouraging. An excellent example has been set in 

 the production of vegetables and other quick-growing crops. 

 There are also instances where the tillage operations are very 

 good, as well as forceful examples of the value of mulch and 

 manure. Nursery beds need more attention. 



A third gives the following good advice: — 



'More importance is being given to tillage than hither- 

 to. The value of systematic drainage, the use of mulch 

 when and where necessary, the superior results of manuring 

 when properly applied — these are the points which are taken 

 care of by those in charge of the best gardens. 



'I have for some years been trying to impress on the 

 teachers the value of experimental work. In many instances 

 this has been fully realized, with the result that the scholars 

 are always deeply interested. 



'I reuard the educational value of the work as being the 

 most important. The scholars of to-day are to be the 

 agriculturists of the future, and the greatest care should be 

 taken to show the differences between right anil wrong 

 methods of cultivation. I cannot too strongly recommend 

 the necessity of .school garden work being continuous.' 



School Gardens throughout the West Indies have not 

 always been a conspicuous success. The above hints are 

 useful in indicating lints of improvement. 



