TOMATO DISEASES. 141 



Sleeping: Disease (Fusariuni lycopensica).— A fun- 

 goid disease which causes the leaves to asisume a dull 

 colour, then droop, and finally the plant to suddenly col- 

 lapse. It appeam that this fungus, a»3 in the case of 

 Black Stripe, which may or may not be due to the 

 same cause, first attacks the small roots, then the larger 

 ones, and the base of the main stem. When it has taken 

 possession entirely of the roots the drooping or sleeping of 

 the leaves begins. Later on a white mould appears on the 



[Photo: H. A. Smith. 

 TOMATO FRUITS WITH CRACKED SKINS. 



stem above the surface of the soil. When the leaves of 

 a tomato gradually droop this may be regarded as evidence 

 of the presence of the fungus. 



Eemedies. — Fungicides are useless in this case. All that 

 can be done is to pull up and burn the plants, and the 

 soil should be removed and dressed with quicklime. Such 

 soil should not again be used for tomatoes if it can be 

 dispensed with. The walls, paths, floor, and staging 

 should be syringed with a solution of iron sulphate (For- 

 mula No. 29). Seeds, moreover, should not be saved 

 from fruits gathered from infected plants. 



