126 TRUCK FARMING 



We seldom find a luxuriant thrifty field damaged by insects, 

 but on the other hand they seem to delight in damaging a field 

 which is hampered in growth in any way. Thus, vegetables are 

 frequently attacked by mildew in extremely dry weather, and 

 disastrous conditions are more frequently met with when the soil 

 is in want of moisture or the foliage has not been washed suf- 

 ficiently by rains heavy enough to benefit the crop. Thus light 

 rains are of little or no benefit and heavy fogs and dews during 

 drouths (this happens quite often early in the mornings in 

 Florida) encourage mildew as well as injurious insects when the 

 soil is very dry and the plants are in an unthrifty condition gen- 

 erally. Early applications of sulphur are probably the remedy 

 of greatest benefit here. I have found heavy applications of sul- 

 phur beneficial under these conditions even after the mildew had 

 advanced considerably. 



You will find that the successful trucker who has his crops 

 well in hand as regards culture, irrigation, etc., is troubled but 

 little with insects or fungi; a healthy plant seems to have the 

 same immunity from disease that healthy humans or animals have. 



By the scientific breeding and selection of plants much has 

 also been done. Occasionally healthy plants are found in dis- 

 eased fields and by carefully saving the seeds therefrom valuable 

 acquisitions are added to our lists. 



Sulphur, if applied when plants are young, will prevent tomato 

 rust and the spotting of egg plants and peppers. Should a field 

 be known to be particularly subject to these diseases, kainit 

 should be harrowed in at the rate of 600 pounds per acre, as 

 described in notes on fertilizing. This seems to destroy injurious 

 germs and at the same time supplies abundant potash. 



Isolating a field is often practiced with good results, as such 

 a field will often mature an entire crop before it is found by a 

 sufficient number of insects to do material damage. 



I have found one of the best remedies for the extermination 

 of cut and other worms to be frequent applications of poisoned 

 bran made by thorough mixing (while dry) one pound of 

 Paris Green with 50 to 100 pounds of wheat bran, moistening- af- 

 terwards just enough so it will stick together. This can be applied 



