THE TOBACCO SEEDLING is subject to injury 

 in the seed bed by weeds and a number of para- 

 sitic enemies, among which is a fungous root-rot. It 

 is of the utmost importance to secure beds free from 

 weeds and to avoid the use of diseased or weak seed- 

 lings. Methods of sterilization have been developed 

 to control seed-bed conditions. The old method of 

 open fires, long practiced in the South, is being re- 

 placed by a steaming process the essential feature of 

 which is an inverted pan used to force the steam into 

 the soil. This method of steaming has been widely 

 adopted in certain tobacco-growing districts and is 

 applicable to most, if not all, of them. The process 

 of steaming described is. the. most practical and eco- 

 nomical method of seed-bed control yet developed, 

 and besides eliminating diseases and improving gen- 

 eral soil conditions, it kills weed seeds more effec- 

 tively than the old methods. The cost of sterilizing 

 is more than paid for by the saving in the cost of 

 weeding. 



This bulletin describes the necessary equipment 

 and method of operation, with certain special fea- 

 tures of seasonal convenience and seed-bed prepa- 

 ration. The method is applicable for working on 

 either small or large seed-bed areas and can be used 

 in all tobacco-growing districts. 



With necessary modifications in the apparatus 

 which will readily suggest themselves to the truck 

 grower, the method can be used very successfully to 

 control soil conditions in the greenhouse, in cold- 

 frames, or in the field. 



