The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1914-07-01
Tomato Club Notes
TO TOMATO CLUB MEMBERS.

jure Tomatoes and How to Fight
Them.
No. 630-To Canning Club Members:
Part 1.
In letter No. 629 we told YOU
some things to do, to prevent disease
among: your tomato plants. At the
same time that you try to prevent dis
ease, It will be necessary to look out
for insect pests which may do great
harm in short time. Then, too, you
can fight the two at the same time.
For these reasons, the instructions in
this letter should be read and used
with No. 629.
The first insect you may have trou-
Bile with will probably be one Of the
various cut worms which will cut
down plants as soon as set out. A
good remedy Is poisoned bait placed
SO as to kill these worms before trans
planting. Have nothing green grow
ing or the plat for about two weeks
before transplanting. Then dip COL
lard, or cabbage leaves, punches of
clover or weeds into solution of
Paris green made by mixing one table
spoonful of Paris green in a bucket
Of water. Scatter these over the plat
in the evening for two or three days
before transplanting. Remember
that Paris green is poison and must
be handled carefully. Another poison
which can be used as a bait after the
plants are set out Is a mash made by
mixing one peck bran and two cups
molasses with one ounce, two table
spOonfuls, Of Paris green and enough
water to moisten the mixture. Cotton
seed meal may be used insead Of bran,
taking one quart of meal to one table,
spoonful Of Paris green. This is
placed in small bats near the plants
and may be kept moist under a bit
Of earth to protect from the sun. Do
not allow chickens or other animals to
eat this poison mash. Another way
to protect plants from cut worms
which you may have tried Is to wrap
each plant when transplating with a
bit Of paper which extends about
one inch above and one inch below
the surface of the ground.
Another insect which may attack
your plants in the cold frame or soon
after transplanting, is the flea-beetle,
a tiny black jumping beetle which
feeds upon the tissue Of the leaf
Bordeaux mixture which we advised
for spraying to prevent disease, will
also have some injurious effect upon
tho flea-beetle, but to dispose of it,
and other injurious biting insects, it
will be safest to add to the Bordeaux
mixture either Paris green or arse
nate Of lead. For each 10 gallons of
Bordeaux, add 2 ounces of Paris green
or 10 ounces of arsenate of lead. Keep
the mixture we'll stirred while using
1t is necessary to use a spray pump
for applying this because unless it is
applied in a mist-like spray which
coats the leaves thoroughly, it will
not do good. If Paris green Is used
without the Bordeaux, 4 ounces quick
lime to 10 gallons water must be used
to keep the Paris green from burning
the foliage.
Arsenate of lead is thought to be
better than Paris green for such use
Although it costs little more. 1t is
really cheaper. because it gives better
protection. Is not so likely to burn the
foliage, and sticks to the leaves bet
ter, making fewer applications neces-
sary. Two applications of arsenate
Of lead will equal four or five OF Paris
green. Arsenate of lead solution can
also be made with less care.
The potatO-beetle sometimes at
tacks tomato plants. but can be con-
trOlled by the spraying or by jarring
the beetles into q vessel and destroy
ing them.
The tomato horn worm eats the
leaves of the plants and can easily
be found. Hand picking and killing
is the best way to get rid Of them.
This large green caterpillar is the
larva OF one Of the sphinx moths, a
beautiful creature which l hope you
may sometime see fitting through
your garden at dusk and getting nee
tar from tubular flowers with it's long
beak. This moth lays the eggs which
produce these horned caterpillars.
You may also find the pupa or winter
stage Of this insect which will live in
the ground in q brown case having it's
long beak curved over it's body like
the handle Of u jar.
Another caterpillar which will give
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