TEN LBS OF FRUIT

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 5, Issue 62, 8 June 1942, Page 3

TEN LBS OF FRUIT

FROM TOMATO PLANT GROWN

WITHOUT SOIL

To increase the war supply of Fresh vegetables., people in Britain are trying out hydroponics, or the science of growing plants in water containing chemical food. Several experiments have been carried! out by British scientists with various systems of water culture. One method, is to suspend the plants in a wire tray over a tank containn ing tiie nutrient solution, into which the roots drop. In other systems' which have yielded good results. I plants arc grown in sand, gravel, or clean cindcrs to which the nutrient solution is applied. The simplest method of all is the "hand-watering" system which requires no special equipment. All that is needed is a barrel Tor the nutrient solution, administered by an ordinary Avater-can in measured doses to plants grown in pure-wash-ed sand in pots or welL-drained beds. Numerous experiments both out ol' doors and under glass have been made with this method, and Avith the right technique no difficulty has been found in getting from 8 to lOlbs of tomatoes per plant. Equally satisfactory yields of carrots, turnips, potatoes, lettuce and other crops haA'e been obtained. It is noAv simple enough to supply the right amount of plant food, any any intelligent gardener can prepare nutrient solutions either from pure chemicals or from fertil- ! iscrs and high-grade commercial salts, provided he keeps: exactly to the quantities specified for cacli mixture.