Текст 18

TOMATO

The tomato is a sub-tropical plant and needs for its healthy growth a moderately high temperature, a dry atmosphere, abundance of air, and full exposure to sunlight. The best plants may be obtained by sowing in seed tray of compost, sowing about 200 seeds per standard seed tray. As soon as the seedlings can be handled they are pricked off to 3 1/2 in. pots.

Instead of pricking out to pots, soil blocks may be used and with the larger blocks it is possible to obtain better plants than with pots, the plant having more soil in which to grow.

Provided space is limited, large numbers are sometimes grown by the seedlings being pricked out in boxes, allowing about 3 in. between the plants. Such plants have been found to receive a greater check at planting time than do those in pots or blocks.

A number of methods have been adopted for planting and training tomatoes, each having its advantages. In single rows 3 ft apart, with plants 18 in apart in the rows, about 9,500 plants per acre will be needed. In double rows, two at 18 in with 3 ft between, nearly 13,000 plants per acre are needed.

When the latter method is followed the plants may be grown up stakes and three of these may be tied together at the top, which gives a good rigidity. The advantage of the single row is in that it enables good protection to be given to early plantings by covering with cloches or at the end of the season the plants may be loosened from their canes, laid along the ground and covered with cloches to help ripen.

Planting is done about the end of May or early June according to weather. If the weather is warm and settled the work may begin in late May. Cloches enable the plants to be less dependent on the weather. If they are placed on the ground in cold time the soil warms up more readily. Before planting, care must be taken that the ball of soil about the roots be moist throughout.

Завдання до тексту 18

І. Виберіть з правої колонки відповідний переклад.

1. weed-free 1. скляний ковпак

2. seedling 2. солома

3. planting 3. сіянець

4. sowing 4. проростання

5. cloche 5. посів

6. germination 6. без бур’янів

7. straw 7. висаджування

П. Закінчить речення відповідним варіантом з правої колонки.

1. Being a subtropical plant the tomato requires …	1. sowing in seed trays of compost
2. Planting is done according to …	2. during germination
3. The best plants are obtained by …	3.weather
4. The plants are kept in a greenhouse …	4. a moderately high temperature
5. When the soil is dry, the plants must be watered in …	5. planting time

Ш. Дайте відповіді на запитання.

1. The tomato is a subtropical plant, isn’t it?

2. When are the seeds sown?

3. What is the best way of sowing?

4. What methods of tomato planting do you know?

5. What does planting depend on?

TEXT 19

GLOBAL WARMING AND AGRICULTURE

Some scientists think global warming will help plants. One of the things that will help plants is the weather will be warmer, making a longer growing season. If the plants have a longer growing season they will produce more fruit. Another thing is that more precipitation is anticipated. The United States Environmental Protection Agency predicts a 7% increase in precipitation by the year 2060 and a 5 degree increase in the temperature. If there is an increase in precipitation, the plants will have plenty of water. Plus, plants breathе CO2 like we breathe oxygen. If there is warmer weather, an increase in precipitation, and lots of CO2, the plants will grow better instead of dying during global warming, right?

Some scientists don’t think it will help plants. If the temperature and the precipitation increase then the rain will evaporate faster because of heat. We would need an increase of more than 7% just to have the same amount of water available for use as we do today. There will also be a dramatic change in weather compared to the weather of today. There will be periods of drought followed by periods of storms. Some plants won’t be able to survive the drought. The same thing will happen with storms. Another problem with drought and storms is that right after a drought the plants would be very weak. So when the storms come they will wash the plants away. The storm may ruin the yield and wash the topsoil off of the fields.

When global warming occurs there will be more deserts. Another problem is that certain plants need certain temperatures in order to grow. A lot of plants won’t be able to grow in hot climate and the only way to grow them is to move them north. Thus, global warming will affect agriculture very much.

Vocabulary

To anticipate - передбачати

To predict - прогнозувати

To breath - дихати

Instead of - замість

Available – наявний, доступний