Tomatoes and Others 



255 



country it has been known mostly as the garden huckle- 

 berry and wonderberry. A related plant but with egg- 

 shaped large attractive fruits 4 to 6 inches long is the 

 pepino {Solarium muricatum) propagated by cuttings and 

 fruiting the first year in the North if started very early. 



TOMATO 



Important points in the culture of tomato are: long 

 warm season; " quick " soil with available fertility and 

 one that retains moisture; frequent, or at least tivo or 

 three transplanting s to obtain stocky and continuous- 

 growing plants, particularly at the North; early fruiting 

 to mitigate loss from fruit-rot and to secure a heavy crop 

 before frost; planting in hills. 



Tomato plants are usually set about 4 to 5 feet each way 

 in rich garden soil. In field conditions, they are usually set 

 3 to 4 feet. On light and early lands they are sometimes 

 planted 3x3 feet. Sow about 14 inch deep. From 1 ounce of 

 seed, about 2,000 to 2,500 good plants should be obtained. At 

 3x4 feet, an acre requires 3,630 plants. A large yield is 

 12 to 16 tons to the acre; the average is much below this; 

 1,000 to 1,200 bushels are reported, but this is unusual ; 500 

 bushels are frequently produced, but yields in general field 

 culture for canning run perhaps 100 bushels an acre. 



Leaf-spot (Septoria lycopersica) . — Circular grayish black 

 areas dotted with small black fruiting bodies develop on the 

 leaves. As the disease progresses, the affected spots dry while 

 the leaves yellow and drop off. Control: Spraying every ten 

 days after the plants are set in the field is advisable. Bor- 

 deaux mixture to which has been added three pounds of 

 resin-fishoil soap to fifty gallons of solution is recommended. 

 Applications should be thorough enough to cover all parts of 

 the vine. Spraying is generally thought to delay ripening. 



