THE TOMATO CROPS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 19721, 11 December 1926, Page 23 (Supplement)

THE TOMATO CROPS

SEASONAL NOTES The tomato crop under glass will now be in the middle of the harvestingperiod, and packing and consigning fruit will keep the grower busy. To ! enable the top bunches to reach full development it is advisable to take steps to prevent the early attack of leaf-mould fungus, which develops ra- ■ pidly in a humid, hot atmosphere. The . tall, closely packed plants readily det i velop these conditions under glass, and great care is necessary in watering and ventilation. The outside main crop will now be half-grown, and suckering and tying the plants to the supporting wires or sticks will take up a great deal of time. These operations compel an examination of each individual plant, and the opportunity might well be* taken to note any sign of disease and any outstanding features of merit in the type of plant. An early warning of trouble from disease is the main feature in the very best method of control, while in gardens where seed is saved for future sowing the selection must first be made of the parent plants. The selection of a few good fruits for seed from a box is an unsatisfactory method and a very common one. Of first importance is to select plants that are of good constitution, early maturing, and heavy bearing. These may he marked now. i so that the pickers may reserve the I 1 fruit to allow it to reach full maturity for seed-saving This work well repays the greatest rare, as experience with tomatoes shows marked improvement or depreciation according to the amount of attention that is given to this important point. | In case' the matter is not doalt with again in these notes during the seasol ! it as well to mention here the importance of keeping the seed from each 1 plant separate, so that it may afterwards be sown separately, and thus a ; uniform strain eventually secured and i maintained