X 8 2 TOMATO. 



whatever may set. In two or three instances, in which 

 young plants were attacked, the disease killed the plant 

 outright, but a diseased plant ordinarily lives throughout 

 the winter, a constant disappointment to its owner, but 

 always inspiring the vain hope that greater age or better 

 care may overcome the difficulty. Fig. 63 (page 181) is 

 a graphic illustration of the appearance of the disease. 

 The box contains two plants, the lower one of which is 

 healthy. 



It is probable that this disease is the work of germs. 

 Examination of the diseased tissue has discovered the 

 presence of micrococcus, but the true relation of the or- 

 ganism to the disease has not been made out. 



Various treatments have been tried upon this disease. 

 Our first attempt was thorough spraying with ammonia- 

 cal carbonate of copper, and this is the one which first 

 suggests itself to growers. Our efforts, although care- 

 fully made at intervals, were wholly unsuccessful. It 

 was then thought that treatment of the soil in which 

 new plants were set might prove effective, and as our 

 crop was grown in boxes, the experiment was easily 

 tried. 



Boxes in which diseased plants had grown were emp- 

 tied and the insides were thoroughly washed with va- 

 rious substances, as follows : Three with dilute solution 

 of ammoniacal carbonate of copper ; two with lime white- 

 wash ; one with Bordeaux mixture, and two with lye. 

 Fresh soil was placed in these boxes and healthy young 

 plants were set in them. The boxes were then placed 

 in the tomato house, near both healthy and diseased 

 plants. For three or four weeks the plants appeared 

 to be healthy, but after that time the disease attacked 

 them all without respect to treatment. The same result 

 followed thorough watering of the soil with ammoniacal 

 carbonate of copper, nitrate of soda, and lye. Late in 

 the winter the remaining plants were removed from the 

 box, the soil was again treated with ammoniacal carbon- 



