HANDY BOOK ON TOMATO DISEASES AND PESTS IN N.Z.

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 14, Issue 72, 5 December 1949, Page 6

HANDY BOOK ON TOMATO DISEASES AND PESTS IN N.Z.

Tomatoes worth over £1,000,000 (at wholesale value) are produced every year by commercial growers in New Zealand, and this figure would be greatly increased if the total production of the home gardeners were aded. The yield and quality of tomatoes, however, are often seriously affected by diseases and pests, and for some years research workers have investigated means of controlling these factors that lessen crop production. The Department of Scientific and Industrial Research have just published a bulletin, “Tomato Diseases and Pests” which gives in detail descriptions of the tomato diseases and pests, and recommends means for their control. There are seven major sections: fungous, bacterial, virus and physiological diseases; insect pests; spray and fumigation treatments; and soil disinfection. These main sections are eaqh divided into numerous sub-sections dealing with particular diseases, pests, and methods of control, and to make reference to identification easier and to assist the reader in finding the relevant matter in the text, “A Key to Tomato Diseases and Pests” is appended. The bulletin includes about ninty illustrations, which show the effect of diseases and pests—sometimes with comparisons between infected and healthy plants—photographs and drawings of the actual pests. The important section on control measures show that nearly all the major diseases and pests of tomato crops can be controlled by the methods recommended.

A big pinch of sugar counteracts the salt if too much has been added to soup.