132 VEGETABLE GROWING IN NEW SOUTH WALES. 



Soil Steriiisatio Seedlings may be infected by disease spores in the .soil ; 

 indeed, wilt disease can usually be attributed to that method of infection. 



In the island of Jersey, where tomatoes are extensively grown, wilt at one 

 time threatened to seriously affect the industry. On the suggestion of a 

 scientist, sterilisation of the oil by means of baking was adopted and the 

 trouble ceased. On the larger holdings, kilns have now been erected, and 

 the soil is sterilised in quantities of one or two dray loads. In addition to 

 sterilising soil, the larger growers supply seedlings raised in sterile soil. 



Wilt has caused considerable trouble in this State, and this method should 

 be worthy of adoption by small growers. The writer has had excellent 

 results by baking half a kerosene tin of earth with a cover placed on top to 

 keep in the steam for an hour in an ordinary kitchen oven. 



Not only is this treatment effective in destroying disease spores, but it also 

 kills all weed seeds, and the labour of weeding the seed-box is thus saved. 



Formalin Soil Treatment. As a preventive measure against fungus 

 diseases, it has often been found advantageous to treat the soil in the seed-bed 

 with a formalin solution, made up at the rate of 1 part formalin to 100 parts 

 water. This should be applied at the rate of 1 gallon to the square yard, 

 and the soil covered with wet bags to keep in the gas. The treatment is 

 also effective in the case of eel worms. 



Mosquito netting is very effective in protecting seed beds from the infesta- 

 tion of insects, and during attacks of the pumpkin-beetle has proved most 

 effective in warding off attacks. 



Trapping Moths. -A simple and effective plan of preventing the attack of 

 many grubs is to trap the moths before they have an opportunity of depositing 

 their eggs. The best means of doing this is to use a tarred barrel (such as 

 a cement cask) in which a lamp is left burning during the night. The light 

 attracts the moths, and if the inside of the barrel is kept freshly tarred many 

 will be destroyed. 



Shaking Off. -Several insects are best destroyed by drawing a shallow 

 trough containing a mixture of kerosene and water between the rows, while 

 someone following behind beats or brushes the bushes, so that numbers of 



the insects are dislodged and precipitated into the trough. , 



/ 

 Rotation of crops (see page 22) and clean methods of cultivation may 



be regarded as methods of control for practically all diseases and pests. The 

 destruction of diseased plant remains by burning must be regarded as an 

 important feature of clean cultivation. 



