1020 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS 



5 GEORGE v., A. 1915 



same soil continuously is a risky practice. It was very evident that this soil, which 

 is very fertile, must be disinfected before being used again, and it is doubtful if we 

 shall use this soil in the future even after disinfection. 



Burley Beds. — Burley beds were sown April 17, the same date as the Warne beds 

 were sown. The soil and treatment were alike. The same diseased condition prevailed 

 in this case, and the roots developed marked cases of tobacco root rot. 



The balance of the area in Burley beds which was sown on new soil, April 21 and 

 23, did not show any signs of root rot; and it was noted that both the cotton and the 

 glass-covered bods sown on the latter-mentioned date gave stronger and earlier plants 

 than the first seeding. The Burley beds sown under glass, the soil previously well 

 manured and fertilized at one-fifteenth of a pound per square foot with the combina- 

 tion of single fertilizers mentioned above, gave very strong healthy plants. 



A cotton bed manured but not fertilized gave plants about ten days later than a 

 bed with glass covering prepared in the same way and sown the same date. 



Conclusions from Plant Bed Experiments. — -1. From observation and past exper- 

 ience the writer would advocate sowing beds by April 1 to 10 if weather and soil 

 conditions were favourable. 



2. The practice of sowing beds continuously on the same soil more than two years 

 is a risky one. 



3. The glass covering gave plants about ten days earlier than the cotton covering. 



4. The writer would advocate the disinfection of all tobacco beds, either by steam- 

 ing or using a solution of formalin. The methods are explained in Bulletin No. A-6, 

 Tobacco Division. 



5. A combination of the single fertilizers sulphate of potash, nitrate of soda, and 

 superphosphate mixed in equal proportions by weight and applied at one-twelfth of a 

 pound per square foot gave excellent results as a plant bed fertilizer. To avoid any 

 danger from burning the young germ, should sprouted seed be used, the writer would 

 recommend applying the soda, say three to four days before sowing the beds. 



EXPERIMENTS WITH VIRGINIA TOBACCO. 



Five acres of Virginia Leaf was planted from June 11 to June 20. The ground 

 was given a 500-pound application of a 3-8-3 combination of single fertilizers, which 

 is a 3 per cent nitrogen, 8 per cent phosphoric acid, and 3 per cent potash. To 1 acre 

 an application of complete ready-mixed fertilizer was given. 



Immediately after setting, the poisoned bran mash was applied around the plants, 

 and greatly checked the ravages of the cutworm. By subsequent replanting a very 

 uniform stand was obtained. 



The crop made splendid growth throughout the latter part of June and July, and 

 it gave appearances of being the most imiform crop we had yet grown. One-half of 

 the crop was ready for topping August 4. The balance of the area was about ten days 

 later. 



However, a very severe wind and hail storm passed over this section of the county 

 on August 3, greatly damaging about one-half of the field. In many cases plants 

 were broken off at the ground and scores of plants were practically stripped of their 

 leaves, nothing being left but fragments of leaves on a. badly beaten stalk. The later 

 planting, being not so far advanced, seemed to grow out of the effects from the storm, 

 and made a fairly good sample of tobacco. The earlier planted portion of the crop 

 was topped fairly high, but the top leaves did not sufficiently mature to be ready for 

 harvesting when the lower portion of the plant wps ripe for cutting, consequently the 

 very top leaves cured a rather dark red or greenish colour. 



The plants most badly damaged were cut off, but the sucker which sprung up did 

 not have time to grow and mature into a well-ripened plant. A few plants which were 



Harrow. 



