142 TOMATO CULTURE 



Since old soil is often full of fungous spores left by pre- 

 vious crops, it is the wisest plan to use sterilized soil 

 for the seed-bed. When the young plants are growing, 

 constant watchfulness is required to avoid conditions 

 that will weaken the seedlings and favor the damping 

 off fungi. 



Watering and ventilation are the two points that 

 require especial skill. Watering should be done at 

 midday, to allow the beds to drain before night, and 

 only enough water for the thorough moistening of the 

 soil should be applied. Ventilation should be given 

 every warm day as the temperature and sunshine will 

 permit, but the plants must be protected from rain 

 and cold winds. Work the surface of the soil to per- 

 mit aeration and do not crowd the plants too closely 

 in the beds. If damping off develops something can 

 be done to check it by scattering a layer of dry, warm 

 sand over the surface, and by spraying the bed thor- 

 oughly with weak Bordeaux or by applying dry sul- 

 phur and air-slaked lime. 



Bacterial wilt (Bacterium solanacearum Erw. Sm.). 

 This disease, which also attacks potatoes and egg- 

 plants and some related weeds, is one of the most 

 serious enemies of the tomato. It is known to occur 

 from Connecticut southward to Florida and westward 

 to Colorado, but is most prevalent in the Gulf States, 

 where it has greatly discouraged many growers. 



Its most prominent symptoms are the wilting of the 

 foliage and a browning of the wood inside the recently 

 wilted stems. An affected plant wilts first at the top, 

 or a single branch wilts, but later the entire plant yel- 

 lows, wilts and dies. Young plants wilt more sud- 



