The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1922-05-19
GARDEN LESSON FOR MAY

things to be done in the garden in
May?
A. Thorough cultivation, eradica-
ton of weeds and special attention
to certain crops, as stalking and
pruning tomatoes, control Of insect
pests and diseases and planting of
succession crops.
2. @. Why do we stake and prune
tomatoes?
A. Because tomato plants staked
and pruned produce larger fruit,
better colored more uniform in size
and earlier than do plants not staked
and pruned. Such plants can also be
sprayed to better advantage and
fewer tomatoes will rot.
8. @. What size stakes should be
used and when should the stakes be
set?
A. Suitable stakes can be made
from sapling, a mill edging, or one
by one inch strip 4 or S feet long.
The stake should be driven in place
soon after the plants are set.
@. How are tomato plants pruned?
A.. The plants are pruned to one
or two main stems and all the shoots
that grow in the axis of the leaves
should be pinched off. These shoots
should not be allowed to get large,
as they take the nourishment away
from the main stem. If two stems
are allowed to a plant, it is best to
have two stakes and not try to tie
two stems to one stake, as that
method is not satisfactory.
@. About how often is it practical
to prune tomato plants? :.
A. Generally once every week or
ten days, or if the season is good
and plants are growing fast, two
prunings every ten days will be
necessary. The frequency Of prun-
ings governed entirely by the rapid
ty of the growth of the plants.
@. With what and how is the best
way to tie the plants to stakes?
A. Rafia or heavy iwine is best.
Care must be taken to tie the plants
so that they will not be injured by
the string. A good plan is to loop the
ST. .ag around the stake and tie 1T
under the leaf stem.
Q. What preparation should be
made now for pole beans?
A. A sufficient quantity of poles
shoul be cut, 5 to 6 feet long and
as soon as the plant begins to rum
stick the poles in place. A good plan,
when two rows of beans are planted
close enough is to lean the two rows
of poles together and tie the tops of
the poles with wire.
@. What succession crops may
be, planted this month?
A. Beans, all kind and sweet corn.
@. What is the best method OF
controlling the melon aphis?
A. This insect does more damage
during cool rainy weather, and is
found on the under side of the
leaves. The first sign of this is the
curling and shriveling of the leaves
followed by the loss of the color and
when in large numbers will kill a
plant in a few days. The melon aphis
feeds on cucumbers, cotton, melons,
okra, Strawberries and some weeds.
The best remedy is to spray with
nicotine sulphate, one to 1000 parts.
This spray will often control the
young squash bugs. Where only a
few plants are infested with melon
aphis, tobacco dust applied with a
powder bellows or by throwing a
pinch dust on the leaves affected,
will control this insect.
@. How is blossom-end rot of to-
matoes prevented?
A. Blossom ros is generally
caused by either too much or too lit
tie moisture, therefore, tomatoes
should be planted in we'll drained
soil but one retentive of moisture,
During dry spells water the plants.
@. How is the Harlequin cabbage
bug controlled?
A. By spraying with nicotine sui
phate. The insects themselves, must