DISEASES OF THE TOMATO 



—by- 

 George E, Stone. 



Although tomatoes are quite susceptible to disease here, they 

 are much more so when grown in the Middle and Southern States, 

 where the climatic conditions are more favorable for severe out- 

 breaks. In this State field tomatoes are troubled more or less 

 with fruit rots and leaf blights, such as are caused by species 

 of bacteria, Septoria, Cladosporium, Alternaria, etc. Tomatoes 

 under glass also have their .troubles, but these differ somewhat 

 from those common to plants out-of-doors. Since the environ- 

 ment of greenhouse plants is quite different from that of those 

 grown out-of-doors and is very largely under control, it is more 

 practicable to apply preventive methods of treatment. Spraying 

 should be the last resort in greenhouse culture, and even when 

 it is thought necessary to apply this method of treatment, it 

 should be considered merely temporary. 



The great degree of skill developed by our master florists and 

 market gardeners has demonstrated in a great many instances 

 that the proper handling of conditions, or modification of environ- 

 ment, is sufficient to hold most troubles in check. The skilled 

 gardener learns to know his plants thoroughly ; he is familiar 

 with their condition and succeeds in maintaining the proper rela- 

 tionship between the plant and its environment, which enables 

 him to accomplish wonderful results. The three principal factors 

 in greenhouse management, viz., heat, light and moisture, must 

 be judiciously handled, and when their control is in the hands 

 of an expert, many of our common troubles are entirely avoided. 

 Our experiments and observations on tomato diseases have ex- 

 tended over many years, and it is not our purpose to give in 

 detail the various experiments carried out. We shall confine 

 ourselves merely to a resume of the results obtained. 



BLOSSOM END ROT,— FRUIT ROT 



One of the most troublesome diseases affecting tomatoes 

 throughout the United States, and which occurs on greenhouse- 

 grown and field plants is what is termed "fruit rot." There is 

 often more than one organism associated with this rot, and much 

 confusion has existed, not only in regard to the nature of the 



