TOMATO PRODUCTION 



thrip, and other minute insects which eat pollen, have 

 caused serious fruit set losses. They are almost micro- 

 scopic and are easily missed. They can be controlled by 

 dusting every five days commencing with the first buds. 

 Talc should be the base, ten pounds should be used 

 per acre. The most satisfactory product for thrip control 

 is chlordan. Make a 5% concentration. 



Cracking — Strong, uninterrupted growth of plant 

 and fruit will usually reduce cracking. The increased 

 vigor of hybrid tomatoes may account for less cracking. 

 This no doubt results from continuous growth. A stand- 

 still condition, followed by sudden growth after rain or 

 heavy mist, usually results in cracking. Further study is 

 being given to this subject. 



Fruit Color — A vine-ripened tomato from a healthy 

 plant will have good color if its heredity is correct. Most 

 tomatoes ore picked far too soon. (Many do not receive 

 proper harvesting supervision.) Keep this in mind: tem- 

 perature in excess of 95° is bad for color. The red pig- 

 ment does not form above that point. Clay soil, high in 

 potash, adds color. 



Spray Schedule: 



Apply the first spray 30 days after transplanting, 

 and follow every 10 days for a total of seven sprays 

 as follows: 



1. Zerlate 6. Copper* 



2. Zerlate 7. Copper 



3. Copper *lf no late blight change 



4. Zerlate this to Zerlate 



5. Copper 



If late blight threatens, additional copper sprays 

 must be applied after the seventh spray. Solutions: 

 2 lbs. zerlate to 100 gallons water. 

 4 lbs. fixed copper to 100 gallons water. 

 Add four pounds calcium arsenate to each 100 gal- 

 lons of water. 



Apply at the rate of 1 50 gallons per acre under at 

 ledst 50 pounds pressure. 

 Plants per acre: 



2 X 3 ft. 7260 3 X 5 ft. 3901 



2 X 4 ft. 5445 3 x 6 ft. 2420 



2 X 5 ft. 4356 4 X 4 ft. 2723 

 3x4 ft. 3630 4 x 5 ft. 2178 



