The Tomato.

King Country Chronicle, Volume III, Issue 136, 4 March 1909, Page 3

The Tomato.

The key to the most nucccssful culture of the tomato is tbc securing from the start to finish an unchecked uniform growth, though it need not be a rapid one. The failure to this is the

I principal reason for the comparatively | small yield usually obtained, which is very much less than it would be with better cultural management. The possible yield per plant is enormous, from 1000 bushels to 1200 bushels to the acre being produced in California, not only in small holdings, but also in large fields. I The tomato is not a gross feeder, nor is the crop an exhaustive one, but the plant is very particular as to its food supply. It is an epicure among plants, and demands that its food shall | not only be to its taste in quality, but e that it be well served. In order for | the plant to do its best, or even well, it is essential that the food elements be I in the right proportions, and readily ! available. If there is deficiency in | any single element, there will be but 1 a meagre supply of fruit, no matter : how abundant the supply of the others. ; An over-supply of an element, especially nitrogen, is hardly less injurious, and will actually letsen the yield of fruit, though it may increase the size |of the vine. Tomato roots have little \ power to wrest plant food from the | soil. The use of coarse unfermented I manure is even more unsatisfactory with this than with otber crops.