1022 EXPERIMENTAL FlRMii 



COMMENTS. 



5. GEORGE v.. A. 19!5 



In view of the fact that the combination 200 pounds sulphate of potash, 300 

 pounds acid phosphate, and 300 pounds nitrate of soda per acre, has g-iven the best 

 results in former years, the above outlined experiment was planned with the idea of 

 finding out the etfeet of the heavier applications of phosphoric acid potash and nitrate 

 of soda, and to find out if possible which one, if any, of the above combinations would 

 give the largest net returns, after paying for- the expense of the materials. In all 

 cases the fertilizer was lightly harrowed in and the ground rolled before planting. 



As will be noted in the experiments on 1-acre plots, nitrate of soda was applied 

 in the case of No. 5 only. The remaining plots received a hand application of 350 

 pounds per acre on July 24. The idea in applying the soda by hand in the later 

 dressing was to prevent any unnecessary leaching which might occur in case the 

 material was applied in conjunction with the other single fertilizers. This operation, 

 which on the face of it would look like an unusual amount of labour, required the 

 -ervices of three men but one day. 



Likewise this crop suffered a severe set-back from the hail-storm, particularly 

 the first planting. Over an area of 4 acres the lower six or eight leaves were so badly 

 torn and broken that a large percentage of them were thrown away at stripping time. 

 The later plantings, being smaller when tlie storm came, g-radually grow out of the 

 effects of the storm and made a very fair sample of tobacco. 



Owing to the severe accident which happened to the crop, the writer did not con- 

 sider it advi.-able to keep each plot separate in the field, or when taken into the barn. 

 Since there was no really appreciable difference noted in the field, no accurate fig-ures 

 of yields per acre were kept for each plot. 



TOBACCO ROOT ROT OBSERVATIONS. 



While the most of our Burlcy crop was making a splendid growth previous to the 

 storm, still there was a plot of 2 acres v.-hich was growing unevenly — it ni'Tht be 

 termed a partially Burley-siek soil. The observations the writer made in i^e field 

 were as follows : Plants on certain rows or in certain rows in the field seemed to have 

 completely stopped growing. The dwarfed plants were often attacked by the Mosaic, 

 disease, but sometimes the stunted or dwarfed plants bore no trace of this mottled 

 appearance, but sim])ly seemed to have stopped development. 



This latter case applied to fields, the soil of which was still healthy at planting 

 time, and the diseased plants have been taken from the diseased plant bed. But in 

 the more exaggerated cases in other fields in the county the writer has noticed whole 

 fields which presented a dwarfed appearance, in which case the disease has been ])reva- 

 lent in the field and has affected previous crops but was vmrecognized. The writer 

 considers that in the case in question on the Farm at Harrow the disease was trans- 

 mitted from the infected plant bed to the field. The root systcan of many plants \va* 

 so seriously affected that the feeding powers of the fine root hairs were cut off so com- 

 pletely that the plants were merely surviving on a limited supply of plant food. 

 I'ndoubtedly this disease has been prevalent in many fields which have been closel.y 

 cropped with Burley and it has never been recognized. One must admit that a case 

 is difficult to diagnose unless you arc thoroughly conversant with the symptoms. The 

 writer would suggest that the grower should feel at liberty to send any diseased speci- 

 mens to the Experimental Farm, Harrow, or to Mr. F. Charlan, Tobacco Division, 

 Ottawa, for inspection and identification. The situation is not improving, and if we 

 were to study the facts as expressed by many growers, '• My ground is burleyed out," 

 '' I shall have to grow a crop which is easier on the soil," we would find in manj' cases 

 that the soil was infected with root rot. We might substitute the Burley with other 

 varieties of smoking tobacco as Connecticut Seed Leaf, Big Ohio, and Gomstock 



Harrow. 



