STRAWBERRY TOMATO. 



209 



mato when grown in greenhouses, but only that known as the 

 "rot" is often seriously injurious to plants grown in the open 

 field. This is a fungous disease. The germs of this fungus 

 lodge in the end of the fruit when it is very small, probably 

 often just as the flowers fall off. By their growth, they rot 

 the end of the tomato and often cause much havoc. 



Remedies. The disease lives over winter in the ground 

 where the rotten tomatoes have fallen. The diseased fruit 

 should therefore be gathered and burned or buried a foot or 

 more deep, where they will not be disturbed in the spring. 

 Some varieties are much more liable to rot than others. The 

 Dwarf Champion is perhaps less affected than many other 

 kinds. Experiments in spraying the young fruit with Bor- 

 deaux mixture, or a solution of sulphide of potassium at the 

 rate of one-half ounce per gallon, are said to have given good 

 results in some cases, but it is generally considered imprac- 

 ticable to do this. They are less liable to rot when growing 

 on new land than on land that has been used for several 

 years in tomatoes. 



GROUND CHERRY, or STRAWBERRY TOMATO. [Phys- 



alis sp. ) 

 Native of North and South Am- 

 erica — Perennial. — There are several 

 species of Physalis that produce 

 edible fruit. Among those indigen- 

 ous to northern United States is 

 one quite common in old timber land 

 in northern Minnesota and elsewhere. 

 The fruit resembles a tomato but is 

 about the size of a cherry and is en- 

 closed in a calyx, which forms a 

 husk around it. The seed is dark col- 

 ored, flat and round. The fruit is 

 used for preserves and sauces. 



Culture. It is of the easiest cul- 

 ture and when once sow r n generally 

 covers the ground in following years 

 from self sown seed. The seed should 

 be planted about the first of May. 



The plants spread about thirty inches. 



Pig. 116.— Ground Cherry or 

 Strawberry Tomato. 



