GAS TREATMENT vs. SPRAY 

 TREATMENT 



comparative merits of gas and spray treat- 

 ments for blue mold control, but a great 

 deal of test work over a period of years 



shows that equally good plants and equally 

 as many will be obtained by either method. 

 It is merely a question of using some method 

 properly. Gas treatment has the advantage 

 that the grower can wait until the disease 

 appears before beginning treatment; spray 

 treatment is less expensive. It is well to 

 remember that in blue mold control, mild 

 outbreaks, which result in slight delay or 

 loss of plants, are of r 

 it is not essential absolutely t 



The following recommendations have 

 been tested and are acceptable, but other 

 methods that have been tried in various 

 localities may be equally satisfactory. For 

 these directions consult the county agri- 

 cultural agent or the State agricultural 

 college. For a fuller explanation of the 

 treatments described in the following pages 

 consult these publications of the United 

 States Department of Agriculture: 

 Farmers' Bulletin 1799, Blue Mold (Downy 



Mildew) Disease of Tobacco. 

 Leaflet 209, Gas Treatment for the Control of 



Blue Mold Disease of Tobacco. 



GAS TREATMENT 



The paradichlorobenzene 

 the only gas treatment for blue mold control 

 now used in this country. The material is 

 commonly called P. D. B. oc Parabacco. 





the 



6 crystals of paradichloro- 

 jf 3 pounds to 100 square 



down at the rate of 3 pounds to 

 yards. During warm weather use only 2 

 pounds. If the heavy muslin cover is 

 thoroughly wet, iH pounds is sufficient, but 

 as a wet cover holds the vapors effectively 



■ found it prac- 



Tol 



1 the vapors in the bed. cover with 

 a 60- to 70-thread muslin, weighing 4 to 4^ 

 ounces a square yard. This cover must be 

 larger than the bed, so that the sides can be 

 fastened. One cover will take care of two 

 beds and can serve also as protection from 



Start treatment about sundown and rt 

 move the cover between 8 and 10 o'clock i 

 the morning, before the sun gets very warn 

 depending on the weather. Take the covt 

 off at 8 during warm weather or when 

 wet cover has been used. 



Treat the bed three consecutive nights if 

 mold is present, and thereafter twice aweek. 

 Six to eight treatments will suffice for the 

 season. Some growers prefer to use the 

 three - consecutive - night treatment exclu- 

 sively and to treat only when mold is found. 



SPRAY TREATMENTS 



There are now several different spray 

 treatments, and in careful tests conducted 

 in 1943 all gave good blue mold control. 



Copper Oxide-Cottonseed Oil Spray 



Yellow Cuprocide _ ...8 ounces. 



Vatsol O. T. C __ 8 to 12 ounces. 



Water To make 50 gallons. 



It is desirable to add about 8 tablespoons of 

 molasses to each 8 ounces of Cuprocide 

 powder. Also, a miscible oil known as 

 S. E. C. oil can be substituted for the 

 cottonseed oil and the Vatsol in the above. 

 Stir the copper powder and the molasses 

 into a thin paste with a little water. In a 

 separate bucket, dissolve the Vatsol in 3 

 quarts of water and add the 2 quarts of oil. 

 Emulsify by pumping through the spray 

 nozzle, and then dilute with water to 40 

 gallons. Wash in the copper and bring to 

 50-gallon volume. Keep the mixture well 

 agitated when filling the sprayer and while 

 spraying, so that the copper will not settle 



Bismuth-Subsalicylate Spray 



Vatsol O. T. C 4 to 8 ounces. 



Water _ To make 50 gallons. 



Mix the bismuth and Vatsol, add a little 

 'water to make a paste, and then dilute. 

 This mixture must be agitated continuously 

 while being sprayed. 



Fermate Spray 



Vatsol O. T. C_. 



Mix as described for the bismuth-subs; 

 late spray. Fermate can be used wi' 

 the Vatsol, but it will take longer tc 



Other Sprays 



Other spray mixtures, perhaps less ; 



proved effective against blue mold. For 

 example, cottonseed oil li gallon, benzyl 

 salicylate 2 ounces, plus an emulsifier— the 

 whole diluted to 50 gallons. 



AH Sprays 



All spray treatments must begin in 

 advance of disease appearance, preferably 

 when blue mold is first reported in the area. 

 Protection with either the copper oxide 

 cottonseed oil or the bismuth-subsalicylate 



mixture is more prolonged than with Fer- 

 mate, hence it is important when using 

 Fermate not to stop spraying until the 

 plants are set or blue mold has definitely 



:■ !■'■ r : ' '' '■"-' -l '-'■ ■ '■'■ 



Applications should be twice weekly and 

 should be continued until time for trans- 

 planting, or until the sprayed bed has had a 

 mild attack of blue mold and recovered. 

 Growers should plan to make 6 to 12 

 applications, the smaller number being 

 adequate in mild seasons in the more 

 northerly areas, while the larger number 

 may be required in some years in Georgia. 

 If the cover is well above the plants and 

 stretched tight, the early sprays are applied 

 through the cotton. 



An average of 4 gallons of spray is re- 

 quired to 100 square yards of bed at each 

 application. Small plants take 2 l A to 3 

 gallons, and large ones 5 to 6 gallons. 



All materials for both gas and spray 



stored in a dry place. 



FACTS ARE AMMUNITION 



i to Department of Agriculture radio net- 

 oadcasts for facts about wartime farming 



The Nariono! Farm and Home Hour gi 

 acts from the Department of Agrici 

 he changing war needs for their pro 



1:30 p. m. Eastern 1 



Central War Tin 



gon, and Washir 



The National Farm and Home Hour is avails 



isten to— 



CONSUMER TIME 



National Broadcasting Company. 



L L :1S a. m. Central War Time. 

 10:15 a. m. Mountain War Time. 



Consumer Time is available to all NBC : 



