-TOMATO 



VEGETABLE GARDEN 



TOMATO 1139 



recommend the wholesale mutilation of 

 the foliage, leaving almost bare stems and 

 unripened fruits. It is a mistake to 

 assume that the leaves absorb nourish- 

 ment that would be better utilised in 

 ripening and producing the fruit. The 

 real fact is that once developed they grow 

 no larger, and their only function is to 

 produce nourishing food wholly and 

 solely for the production and ripening of 

 the feuit and seeds. 



Culture vmder glass. — This is 

 exactly the same as detailed above, except 

 that earlier crops can be produced by 

 sowing seeds at an earlier date, and 

 later crops, right into winter, by sowing 

 seeds at a later period, or by rooting 

 cuttings of the side shoots in gentle heat 

 in summer or autumn as required. From 

 May to October, however, no artificial 

 heat whatever is required, but the plants 

 should always have abundance of air. 



Diseases da. — Except in wet and un- 

 favourable seasons, Tomatoes in the open 

 air are rarely affected vdth disease of any 

 sort. But in greenhouses they are fre- 

 quently attacked by a fungus called 

 Cladosporium fulvv/in which is similar in 

 nature to the Potato-disease (see p. 1136) 

 and causes deep brown stripes on the 

 stems and blotches on the leaves. The 

 Potato-disease also attacks the Tomato 

 .and produces similar results. In Guern- 

 sey a peculiar disease, locally known as 

 the ' Sleeping disease,' has of late years 

 become very prevalent. According to 

 Mr. Massee of Kew, ' the plants are 

 attacked while quite young, but the out- 

 ward evidence of the disease does not 

 usually manifest itself until the plant is 

 full grown, or even before the fruit is set. 

 The first indication that a plant is 

 diseased is shown by the drooping of the 

 leaves, which increases day by day, often 

 accompanied by discoloration.' The 

 disease is caused by a minute fungus 

 •called Fusarium Lycopersici, which in 

 the course of its life history passes into 

 various stages, producing numerous 

 microscopic spores, each one of which is 

 capable of infecting a plant and producing 

 thousands of others in a season. 



BemeMes. — -For these fungoid diseases 

 -spraying is practically of no use, and the 

 best and safest remedy is to carefully Uft 

 ihe diseased plants and burn them. Do 

 not cut diseased plants with a knife that is 

 used for trimming the healthy plants, and 

 .shake the diseased ones as little as 



possible in removing, as the spores are 

 readily wafted from point to point by the 

 slightest current of air. As the spores 

 rest in the soil, it is a good plan to saturate 

 it with boiling water before planting 

 afresh. Lime and soot may also be 

 sprinkled over and thoroughly mixed 

 with it, especially if there have been any 

 attacks from wireworms or eel worms, 

 which sometimes cause much mischief. 



The soil should never be mulched with 

 rank stable manure, as this is frequently 

 the cause of setting up a fungus disease 

 which attacks the fruit just as it is 

 ripening, causing a round blackish blotch 

 at the apex, or around the point where 

 the small pin-like pistil was attached. 

 The refuse of old mushroom beds however 

 makes a very good mulch and may be 

 used without much fear. 



On the whole, abundance of air, clean 

 well-drained soil, and a dry atmosphere, 

 together with proper watering, tying, and 

 pinching out of side shoots, are the best 

 preventives against diseased Tomatoes. 



Varieties of Tomatoes 



There are some two or three hundred 

 if not more so-called varieties of Toma- 

 toes now known, and I have had oppor- 

 tunities of seeing most of them growing 

 and fruiting. Each year there are new 

 names added to the list, but sad to say 

 the varieties they represent seem to be 

 very similar to, if not identical with, 

 those already existing. The following 

 have been proved excellent for general 

 cultivation i but there are others as yet 

 without names that appear to be quite as 

 good, if not indeed better. 



Ked Varieties 



Chemin Bouge. — A compact variety 

 with smooth bright red medium-sized 

 fruits of excellent flavour. 



Ohiswich Dessert. — Fruit small, round, 

 smooth, bright red, fine flavour, good for 

 dessert. 



Challenger. — Fruit medium, round, 

 smooth, solid and heavy. A fine variety. 



Comet. -Fruit medium, round, smooth, 

 deep red, good flavour. 



Conference. — -Fruit medium, bright 

 red, round and smooth, excellent flavour. 



Duhe of YorTc. — Fruit large, brilliant 

 red, smooth, round, heavy, and well- 

 flavoured. 



Frogmore Selected. — Fruit large, 

 4d2 



