The Washington times., 1922-04-23

from the weaker roots. For that
reason II is true economy TO buy
twice as many as you viii need and
plant only the best ones.
Potatoes are usually planted dur
ing the first part Of April In the lat-
tude of Philadelphia Most OF the
commercial growers prefer to apply
all OF the fertilizer $500 pounds per
acre In the row with the seed, but
when this Is done care should be
taken to mix the fertilizer through
the soil, SO that the fertilizer will
not prevent the seed pieces from
sprouting. In spite of the fact that
potato seed is high priced, we must
remember that II pays TO use good
sized pieces when planting. They
are usually placed about fourteen
inches apart In the row and are Gov
cred with 1h to inches deep.
Half-barrels, butter tubs or boxes
with no bottoms in, them, placed over
the rhubarb hills at once, Will force
the development OF very long stalks.
Try a few hills.
II a hotbed or cold-frame Is not
accessible to grow your early cab
bage, tomato, pepper, eggplant or
lettuce plants 10 transplant into the
garden, the best plan is to use box
about four inches deep, placing IN
this box about an inch or an inch and
a half OF welI-rotted manure ana I'LL
with good soil. Sow this seed In
rows, not too thickiy, and place In
side the window, preferably I'm the
sun. These boxes win have to be
turned every day. so that the plants
will not grow spindiy and toward the
HIGHT. Do not have the room too
warm, but a temperature around 65
20 10 degrees will produce very good
plants. II many plants are not de-
sired, some of these plants may be
transpianted into other fats two to
three inches apart. It is necessary
that eggpiants, peppers and tomatoes
be started In this way X second
early fall crop Is desired.
The market gardeners and truckers
who have more soil, do not plant
very intensavely, manage TO get In
cover crop OF rye and vetch. or Vetch
alone, or some OF the clovers, and In
this way are able to plow down
good cover crop In the spring. They,
OF course, supplement with CONNER
cial fertiliyers In the spring when
planting their crop.
Nitrate of Soda on Tomatoes.
Question--wm you kindly advise
US whether nitrate OF soda VIII
benefit tomatoes on sand which are
blighting. They were put out the
last week OF June. We used 500
pounds OF 500 fertilizer per acre.
There was a heavy crop OF rye and
vetch turned under in May and
well worked up7 Answef-In refer
ence to the use OF nitrate OF soda
on tomatoes which are bhghted
would say that the nitrate OF soda
will be OF no avail, especially IL
blight is present However, /
would make sure that your plants
have the disease. Many OF the to-
mato fields in Camden county are
going backward on account OF the
tip burn and sun scald, which are
greatly confused with blight this
year. Eight hundred pounds per
acre Of 5-10-0 fertilizer under norm
al years should give very good
results, especially where a heavy
cover crop OF rye and vetch has
been turned under, but this year
Is an exceptional year, especially
which were set out late will not
produce one-third OF a crop, IL they
produce at all this year. due to
weather conditions.
Curling of Tomato Leaves.
ouestion-My tomatoes at least
one-third OF their leaves turn a
golden yellow. Some plants leaves
green, but curled up. Curl started
before rain, but yellow leaves dur
ing same. What is the reason for
this7 Answer-The curling OF your
tomato leaves may be due to the
presence of plant lice. These plant
lice are very small and do the
work on the underside of the leaf,
50 that I would recommend that
you look closely to see II that is
the case. Again on some varieties
and especially dwarf tomatoes the
leaves have a tendency to be more
or less curled. The curling of the
leaf as a general rule is no indica~
tion OF disease, but from some
external cause. / am wondering
whether there is any commercial
plant near your place, and whether
or not your tomatoes receive the
fumes OF either chemicals or OF
smoke, because carbon dioxide in
the air will have a tendency to
more or less discolor the leaves.
have seen very little disease in
North Jersey. and do not think
that your plants are affected with
disease. however, as you mentioned
In your letter, / would highly en-
dorse your plan of Jop-dressing
your plants with nitrate Of soda,
using a teaspoonful to the plant
and keeping 1t away at least three