Family Solanaceae 339 



DISEASES OF THE TOMATO (Lycopersicum 



esculentum) 



Like potatoes, tomatoes are subject to numerous 

 diseases which the trucker cannot afford to ignore if 

 he is to reap the greatest profits from his crop. 



Hollow Stem 



Cause Physiological. 



Hollow stem is a trouble manifested on seedlings in 

 the bed, or after transplanting. The central portion 

 of the head of the plant remains green while the lower 

 leaves turn yellow. In severe cases, affected plants 

 fall over as in damping off, with the absence, however, 

 of signs of rotting. Such plants when examined are 

 found to have hollow stems and seem too weak to 

 stand up. 



Cause. There are several causes, all of which 

 when combined may lead up to the hollow stem. 

 1. A highly nitrogenous fertilizer applied to the 

 seed bed to force the seedlings. 2. An abundance 

 of water supply to make the fertilizer quickly avail- 

 able. 3. Sowing seeds of a rapid growing variety. 

 4. Transplanting without hardening off. 5. Trans- 

 planting into a dry soil. 



Control. It is evident from what has been said 

 that the fertilizer in the seed bed should be well bal- 

 anced. Care should be taken to prevent the seedling 

 from becoming leggy, and to see that they are pro- 

 perly hardened before transplanting. The Stone and 

 its related varieties seem to be more resistant to hollow 



