Tomato Fungi. 



197 



appeared in the Journal of the Royal Horticultural Society 

 (Vol. XIX., Part I.), Mr. A. Collenette, in treating of this 

 " sleeping'' disease, says : — "As growers ripen their fruit as 

 far as possible upon the dying plants, it is only reasonable 

 to suppose that the tomatoes themselves, and probably also 

 their seeds, contain the germs of the disease. . . . Sections 

 of tomatoes from diseased houses were made for me, and 

 these were sufficient to satisfy me that the disease may be 

 perpetuated through the seed. . . . My theory is, then, that 

 the * sleeping ' disease is really primarily propagated by the 

 seed, and the first thing to be done is to refuse to take or use 

 the seed derived from the diseased plants.'' This view is, as 

 has been shown above, corroborated by Mr. Massee in some 

 degree, as well as by the experience of a large grower. The 

 latter gentleman, having an excellent crop of a certain 

 variety of tomato, saved the seed, but in the second year a 

 considerable percentage of the crop was affected by the 

 sleeping disease, and in the third season the whole of the 

 plants of this variety were attacked so that they were all 

 pulled up. The houses were then immediately filled up with 

 plants of another variety, which remained free from disease. 



It seems obvious that care must be taken not to save or 

 sow seeds from tomato plants infected by this fungus. 

 Plants that are infected should be at once pulled up, taken 

 away, and burned. The holes should be treated with fresh, 

 finely powdered lime, well incorporated with the soil. This 

 may prevent the spread of the fungus if it originates from 

 resting spores. But if the attack arises from infected seed 

 it will probably spread through the house and necessitate 

 the pulling-up and burning of the entire crop. The soil 

 should be then sterilised, either by deeply trenching and 

 digging, and ceasing to plant it with tomatoes for a year at 

 least ; or by applying large quantities of hot, finely powdered 

 lime or finely powdered gas lime. Where resting or fallow^- 

 ing the soil in the houses is adopted, tomato plants may be 

 grown in pots in the houses. The walls of the houses in 

 which there has been infection should be thoroughly washed 

 with lime and sulphur. 



