The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1892-05-13
Tobacco Growing.

AT recent meeting of the Connecticut
Board OF Agricultu DR.. w. G. Sturgis
gave a history of the fungus diseases of
tobacco. He started with the statement
that man who has grown tobacco one
year knows it all, while the man who has
grown it II lifetime comes to believe that
he knows nothing about it. Fungus,
the speaker said, grew oil almost every.
thing, and that pole sweat on tobacco is
caused by fungi. For five mouths he
has been at work experimenting ON pole
sweat tobacco. He found upon some
leaves little pimplcs, which under the
microscope showed little sod like plants
which on development rapidly grew and
spread. In aglass tube he showed, grow
log on piece of potato, some of the
fungus plants which cause pelesweat.f
DE found that heat and n4ojsiufe &oee
EreQ,irea y deye5o Il ngi, : 1nd tlaaf.
sweat, ne decided, was q hacter}Ai diseaso
growing on tobacco. caused W heat and
moisture. The rcnefy lies in Keeping
out heat and mUi,tnrc ticIn the .ohacco
barns. He claimed hat rcrpeailcuiar
ventilation was wrong; that sheds should
be built with horizontal vcntilators, and
these TO be placed SO that the air would
not strike the leaves, but come between
the tiers. He also gave the result of
quick curing, and stated that such tobac-
co would not sweat in the case. Tobac-
co must be cured slowly, however, to
secure the best results. Tobacco cures
better with leaf and stalk cured together.
Stripping the green leaves from the stalk
In the field is by far the most expensive,
and leaves thus cured separate from the
oil will r.,
He spoke of the bacteria causing sweat
in cases, and said that he intends to try
the experiment of changing the bacteria
of Havana and other tobaccos, similar TO
the experiments given recently in the
Hartford Times as the result of some Ger
man researches. Artificial heat will stop
L,polessweat. His method of using tl,;s
oig trencnes Tor hues to 'r,in' n HesSs,.-
side aud center Of the she,i y. Ito be
used, however. in unfavorab,e = ther.
Another disease of tabacco is :''" Sat.
This is caused by fungi, and may "a
rcmedied by cleanliness. Rake UP nj,
refuse from your sheds and burn il.
| Another prevention is burning sulphur
and thoroughly fumigatipg the sheds be
fore housing new crop. He was asked
if white veins were caused by fungi,
and replied that he thought not
| DR.. E. II. jenkins spoke on the sub
ject of fertilizing and curing tobacco
| The flavor of tobacco is largely what
| gives it commercial value Volatile or
essential oils will give flavor TO tobacco.
| Cigarettes he classed as an abomination
The burning quality of tobacco depends
largely on potash. A crop or I 800
pounds will take about $50 pounds of
potash from the soil on which it is grown,
| and this amount must be added annual Y
to the soil, and more than this amount
should be used, as the plant will take up
an excess more rapidly, and with better
results, and there is no appreciable loss
| of potash either by evaporation or by
| teaching. Every acre of tobacco takes
out 100 pounds of nitrogen. Nitrate Of
soda will not be held by the soil Am.
| monia, while remaining as such, will not
waste, but is soon dissolved. The soil is
full of bacteria. Chloroform and other
antiseptics will prevent nitrogen from
lcachipg through the soil. Nitrogen will
escape from the soil by evaporation
How to prevent this is q question. Sow
ing rye after the tobacco is harvested is a
good preventative for this loss. Lime is
also taken TO the extent of 100 pounds
per acre from the, soil. To replace this
loss oystershelI lime is the best Lime
| will Deutralize too large accumulation
of acids in the soil, and will aid in pre- :.
venting the loss of nitrogen. The amount
of water carted into tobacco sheds is
about seven tons per acre. Several tons
Of this evapolates in the barn during
curing; hence the need Of thorough ven
tiIation,