No. 4.] TOBACCO GROWING. 49 



Dr. Lindsey. Do you think it would be better to use 

 carbonate rather than sulphate for economy and effect? 



Dr. Jenkins. I should for growing it myself. Growers 

 in Connecticut not far from our experimental field think 

 that high-grade sulphate does not give good results. When 

 1 spoke to them of the results of these five years' experi- 

 ments, I had about five hundred cigars offered me, to dis- 

 prove my statements. I regret I have not a hundred now. 

 What I give you is just the results of our experiments on 

 our fields. 



Question. How about using double sulphate ? 



Dr. Jenkins. In our experiments we got better results 

 and the quality was better where we used double sulphate. 



Professor Brooks. I have within the past year received 

 from the potash syndicate considerable matter pertaining to 

 the new form of potash, silicate. The results of experi- 

 ments in Germany seem to speak very favorably indeed of 

 this new silicate. I would like to ask Dr. Jenkins if he has 

 begun experiments with it, and to express an opinion, if he 

 is willing, as to the probabilities of the value of this new 

 form of potash. Has the question of its value to tobacco 

 growers been settled? As yet the price is rather high. 



Dr. Jenkins. We gave up our experiments with fer- 

 tilizers two years ago to take up experiments with tobacco. 

 Mr. Du Bon has tried silicate during the past year, and, 

 while the tobacco has not yet been through the sweat, its 

 present appearance is very favorable. It looks as good as 

 any leaf grown with other fertilizers, but I would not say 

 that it is superior to the others. Final judgment cannot be 

 given until after it has been through fermentation. 



Mr. George Searle (of Easthampton). Do wood ashes 

 have anything to do with pole burn? 



Dr. Jenkins. No, I do not believe they can have the 

 slightest effect. We know pole burn is a bacterial trouble. 

 I cannot imagine that the fertilizers would have the slight- 

 est influence on it. 



Adjourned ut 12.15 p.m. 



