The Very Great Importance of Retaining Foliage 



IT IS difficult to overstate this matter. The lack of foliage, or 

 the early season loss of it, is directly responsible for most of 

 the poor, unprofitable Tomato crops. To begin with, many farm- 

 ers, who should know better, attempt to grow Tomatoes on thin, 

 starved soil, utterly lacking in organic matter. With present-day 

 knowledge of soil-chemistry, and with many states ofifering 

 soil-analysis services, there is no excuse for not knowing 

 where you start from. 



As an elementary guide, follow sod or some other cover-crop 

 which has added humus to your soil. Do not follow Tomatoes 

 with Tomatoes. Test for acidity, and, if necessary, apply dolo- 

 mitic limestone (300 screen). Following that, be guided by 

 your soil-test for your fertilizer formula. Do not be too sparing 

 of your fertilizer. Fifty Tomato fields are under-fed against one 

 that is over-fed. Stable manure is always excellent — two or three 

 coats. When this is applied heavily, lighten up on the phos- 

 phorus content in your fertilizer. 



Having watched the soil-factors, the next precaution is the 

 spray schedule, which should commence soon after setting the 

 plants and continue weekly for the entire duration of the crop. 

 The solution should be a combination of bordeaux and arsenate 

 of lead. This will not only provide an excellent medium for 

 maintaining the health of the vine, but will give strong protec- 

 tion against insect pests. 



Careful attention to all these factors will go a long way to- 

 ward the development of a crop of high quality and of heavy 

 tonnage. Remember, without vines, blossoms cannot set, and 

 without foliage, the normal fruit sugars in the Tomato do not 

 develop. That means that there is no flavor in the fruit. 



Watch Those Tomato Worms! 



THERE are two species of Tomato horn 

 worm, Protoparce quinquemaculatus and 

 P. sexta. In 1937, conditions were such that 

 both went in for population increase in a 

 big way. The first brood developed in late 

 July, the second in early September. Losses 

 were staggering — perhaps heavier than 

 from the torrential August rains. 



There is every probability of further 

 trouble in 1938. The large brown moths, 

 resembling hummingbirds, are flying in 

 early July, and their eggs hatch in late 

 July. The long, green worm, so common to 

 everyone, is not readily seen in its first days. 

 Its length then is only a fraction of an inch, 

 and it is usually found on the mid- 

 rib of the leaf — on the under side. 



Stokesdale on an August afternoon 



Eff^ective control lies in frequent 

 and thorough application of poison 

 in the spray schedule. This should 

 be applied under high pressure 

 and with nozzles that reach up 

 under the leaves. Tomato growers 

 who trust to luck and do not take 

 these early precautions run the risk 

 of locking the stable door after the 

 horse is stolen. As these worms 

 mature, their capacity to ruin a 

 crop is enormous. It is not at all 

 uncommon for them to cut pro- 

 duction by 50 per cent. Early and 

 frequent spraying is the only eflfec- 

 tive control. 



First-class spraying equipment 

 will prove a good investment for 

 every Tomato grower. 



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