40 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Injurious Effects of Certain Applications on the Tomato 



Plants. 



Kainit. — This substance was applied to Plots 5, II, and 46. In each 

 case the plants were rather dwarfed (see figs. 14, 15), and the crop of 

 fruit from them was below the average. Though they were specially- 

 watered and top dressed they did not respond satisfactorily to the 

 treatment. When the plants were examined at the end of the season 

 it was found that there had been more superficial rooting than in 

 the average and untreated plants. The kainit was applied to Plot 5 

 at the rate of 6 tons an acre, to Plot 11 at the rate of 3! tons an acre, 

 whilst Plot 46 got over 4 tons an acre. It is noteworthy that Plot 3 

 was dressed with sulphate of potash at the rate of 6 tons an acre, 

 and that the plants which grew thereon were indistinguishable from 

 their neighbours which were growing on untreated soil. 



Mercury bichloride. — Plots 23 and 29 were treated with this 

 poisonous salt. On the former plot the rate of application was y\ cwt. 

 an acre ; on the latter plot the rate was 2I cwt. an acre. The 

 heavier dressing resulted in a stunting of the plants (see fig. 16, 

 Plot 23) as in the kainit plots, but the lighter dressing had no adverse 

 effect (sec fig. 17, Plot 29). 



Chromic acid. — This substance was applied to Plot 21 at the 

 rate of about 9 cwt. an acre. The plants were slightly dwarfed, and 

 there was slightly more surface-rooting than in ordinary tomato plants. 



Potassium bichromate. — Plot 22 was treated with this salt at the 

 rate of 14 cwt. an acre. The plants were slightly dwarfed and there 

 was the same surface-rooting as in the preceding case. 



Common salt. — Plot 7 was treated with 3 J tons of common salt 

 an acre. The result was somewhat similar to that of kainit, but 

 not so marked. The plants got extra water and ultimately responded 

 better to the extra care which weak plants received than those growing 

 on kainit (5, 11) and on mercury bichloride (23). 



Chlorinated lime. — This substance was applied to two plots. 

 Plot 17 got over 2 tons an acre, Plot 25 got about 25 cwt. Where 

 the heavier dressing was applied the leaves were hardly normal ; 

 viewed from a little distance they appeared to be slightly variegated. 

 On closer inspection this peculiarity was by no means so obvious, 

 but seemed to resolve itself into a greater contrast between the vein- 

 tracts and the remainder of the leaf than is ordinarily the case. No 

 perceptible stunting of plants was noticed, but they appeared to be 

 adversely affected, and as chlorinated lime did not in the trial harm 

 the eelworms even as much as it affected the plants it was not tried 

 again in 1916 and 1917. 



Sfason 1916. 



During the winter of 1 915-16 the same line of treatment was 

 followed. As, however, nineteen of the plots were supposed to be 

 " cured " they were given no further dressings. This reduced the 



