88 
JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 
January 31, 1895. 
in the air a large quantity will go back into the carbonate form, 
owing to its union with carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. 
Lime is also found in nature as a sulphate (CaS 04 ), and phosphate 
(CaaPsOs) ; the former being the chief constituent of such minerals 
as gypsum and selenite ; while the latter is found in bones, and 
also in the minerals phosphorite and apatite. 
As slaked lime, it can be best applied to clayey and peaty soils; 
for it is able in this state to decompose the silicates, of which a 
clay mainly consists, liberating the alkalies, which are soon taken 
up by plants. It also acts mechanically in modifying the physical 
properties of clayey soils, the silicates of lime which are formed 
being more sand-like in their properties. This lessens the tenacity 
of clays and makes them more porous, which allows the air to enter 
freely to perform its useful function of preparing food for plants. 
Soluble salts of iron are injurious as such to vegetation ; but lime 
has the power of rendering these salts insoluble. Slaked lime is 
the form to be used upon peaty, or soils containing much organic 
matter (as old garden soils), for it is able to neutralise any vegetable 
acids which may be formed owing to the decay of the organic 
matter, forming salts which are harmless, and which may even be 
of use to plants as food ; by decomposing the vegetable matter 
the inorganic constituents are made available for plant nutrition, 
and are readily taken up by them. 
When slaked lime decomposes the organic matter it unites 
with the carbonic acid gas to form carbonate of lime ; this 
carbonate keeps the soil in a basic condition, which is of the 
greatest importance to nitrification, for the activity of the nitrify¬ 
ing bacteria may be hindered by the absence of sufficient lime 
salts, as may be proved by the beneficial results which have been 
obtained after an application of chalk. If quick or slaked lime be 
added to soils in excess it arrests their (the bacterias) activity, 
and can only be remedied by the application of some green manure. 
What takes place in the soil by the action of the nitrifying 
organisms is not clearly understood, but they ultimately produce 
under suitable conditions nitric acid, which, being a stronger acid 
than carbonic acid, drives the latter off from lime, and unites to 
form a nitrate of lime, this being one of the most valuable plant 
foods present in the soil. 
The chief and most abundant supply of lime is the carbonate, 
examples of which are seen as limestone, chalk, shell sand, and 
marls, some of the beds of limestone being 6000 feet through 
them. In applying lime to a light sandy soil it should always be 
used as a carbonate or sulphate, for in these forms it will make the 
soil more retentive and better able to hold plant foods. Carbonate 
of lime from its slow action on organic matter is sometimes called 
mild lime ; this slow action is an advantage in sandy soils, for it 
is chiefly owing to the humus that sands are able to retain plant 
foods. If quick, or hydrated lime, be applied to sandy soils it 
destroys the organic matter; but if it were put on the land 
and allowed to slake, it would then take from the atmosphere 
a considerable quantity of carbonic acid gas, much of it passing 
back into the carbonate form, and might be used if chalk, or 
some other carbonate of lime could not be procured. 
Gypsum, or sulphate of lime, is used on light soils ; it supplies 
sulphuric acid as well as lime to the plant. It can be used with 
organic manures where a loss due to the escape of ammonia 
might occur, for it has the power to fix this gas until it can be 
utilised by the plant. 
Gas lime is slaked lime, and contains v. hen fresh from the works 
calcium sulphide and sulphite. These are injurious to vegetation, 
but after being exposed for some time to the air they are oxidised 
and form sulphate of lime. Gas lime is useful for mixing with 
rubbish heaps, to hasten their decay. Many manures contain a 
large percentage of lime, so when any of these are used there will 
be less need to apply lime. Basic slag contains 50 per cent, of lime, 
mineral superphosphates 30 per cent., bones 25 per cent., guano about 
15 per cent., farmyard manure 10 to 20 lbs. per ton. In super¬ 
phosphate it exists as a sulphate, and in bones and guanos as a 
phosphate. The quantity of quicklime to use per acre should be 
from 2 to 9 tons ; twice the amount of carbonate could be used 
for the same extent of land, and of sulphate from 5 to 10 cwts. 
per acre.—W. D , Turnford. 
THE TOMATO SUPPLY. 
Tomato growing is a very imporlant industry, and likely to 
remain so. In spite of the enormous output of fruit the demand 
has more than kept pace with the supply, every year seeing a very 
great increase in the number of consumers. Whether there would 
not be a glut during August and September if all who have entered 
on the culture of Tomatoes under glass could succeed in producing 
a good average crop, remains to be seen. During the early part of 
last season the prospect was decidedly good, as the plants very 
rarely set such heavy crops at the commencement. Unfortunately 
the later bunches of flower failed to set, a scarcity of pollen it was 
thought having something to do with this failure. In some 
instances I believe those in charge of plants on which extra heavy 
lower clusters of fruit set failed to realise that this must mean a 
greater strain than usual, and did not, therefore, feed them 
sufficiently. 
We have become so frightened of diseases that one remedy, or 
rather preventive measure—viz., dryness of house and atmosphere, 
is apt to be overdone. Tomatoes in full bearing require abundance 
of water and food at the roots, otherwise they are liable to collapse, 
and we may easily err in the direction of keeping them too dry. 
Not only do plants insufficiently fed at the roots fail to go on 
setting clusters of fruit up to any required height above 3 feet, but 
they are also the first to collapse if attacked by eelworms or fungoid 
diseases. So plainly apparent was this latter fact that intelli¬ 
gent growers did not hesitate to lighten the crops where they 
were very heavy, and had good reason to feel convinced they had 
acted wisely by *o doing. 
Overcropping, however, was not the sole cause of so many 
partial failures. The season of 1894 was most favourable to the 
spread of fungoid diseases. The disease known as “ black stripe ” 
seems to be fast on the increase, and was the worst enemy Tomato 
growers had to contend with last season. It usually first shows 
itself on the most sappy plants in the form of striped stems, the 
leafstalks following suit. Sometimes the leaves also become black, 
while in others they do not. 1 strongly advise all who have this 
evil to contend with to adopt preventive measures at the roots. 
What makes me confident that the cause of the stripes is traceable 
to the roots is the fact that it is frequently only the upper portion 
of vigorous plants that show signs of the disease, the lower half 
being perfectly free. Strong plants failed at the points, but weakly 
ones collapsed altogether, owing probably to the disease completely 
encircling the stems underground. Wherever this form of disease 
has to be combated very little solid manure should be dug into the 
ground, a firmer more disease-resisting growth resulting from the 
use of chemicals, as frequently advised in the inquiry columns of 
this Journal. There is a strong probability that some of these 
manures are disinfectants, and, according to Professor Griffiths, 
sulphate of iron is both a fertiliser and a germicide, and I intend 
using it largely as such this season with a view to thoroughly testing 
its value. An excess of i.on sulphate might probably prove 
injurious, and for this reason I shall be content to use it at the rate 
of 10 ozs. to the square rod, mixing it with ashes so as to be able to 
distribute it evenly and washing it down gradually. 
Those who have suffered most from this disease, as well as eel- 
worm attacks, would appear to have grown varieties principally 
that set the heaviest crops without much trouble being taken with 
them. If these free setters possessed extra strong constitutions 
then the selections would have been more justifiable. As it 
happens Early Ruby, selections made from Large Red or crosses 
which the latter has helped to bring about, are far from being 
robust, and are incapable of making much headway under difficul¬ 
ties accordingly. Added to this they aie most of them corrugated 
more or less, and do not therefore sell so well in the markets as do 
the more smooth round forms. Then, again, corrugated or ribbed 
fruit are always very full of seed, and seed takes far more out of 
the plant than does the pulp and core of the more solid smooth 
round fruit. Ruby is a good early variety, and well worthy of 
being grown as such ; but for succession and main crops give me 
Challenger, Al, Ham Green Favourite, Duke of York, and such 
like. Judging from appearances, and the character given by most 
trustworthy men to the Frogmore Selected, this should prove a 
great acquisition, and to be recommended to all classes of growers. 
There is just enough of the old Large Red or some other cor¬ 
rugated form in it to make it a very free setter nearly or quite 
