New Britain herald., 1916-05-30
UNCLE SAM STUDIES
 NUTMEG TOBACCO
Will Attempt to Aid Planters by
 Experiments on Curing Leaf
Especial to the Herald.j

Washington, May 3O.-Experiments | of interest to tobacco growers and 1 warehousemen are to be made in l Connecticut this year when E. G. l Beinhart, representative of the tobac- ] co Investigations division bureau of plant industry, department of agri- culture, cooperating with state ex- pertinent station, will attempt to work out the idea of central heating plant for use in curing leaf tobacco
 An engineering coertion will also CO., operate, as it is partly an engineer ing problem. The basic idea is to
 systematically control the heat and moisture, the elements that enter so
 largely into the curing of tobacco.
 One of the large Connecticut tobacco
 farms will be the scene of the experi-
 ments. Some of these farms have a
 large number of tobacco curing barns.
 which are heated separately and reg
 ulated separately. The result is not
 economical so far as fuel is concerned,
 and it does not tend to uniformity in
 the curing process or in the quality of
 the tobacco. It is now suggested that there be one central heating plant
 which will control the curing ele-
 
 barns.
 Department of agriculture experts do not see why a central heating
 plant should not be practical in cur ing high grade tobacco like the Con- necticut shade grown. It is regarded as doubtful, however, whether this method would be economical or prac- ticable in curing cheaper tobacco.
 Dr. w. w. Garner, chief of the to- bacco investigations division, has planned some field tests to be made
 in Connecticut this summer in connec- tion with the presence of root rot on some Connecticut tobacco farms Ger tain spots on some farms will not grow tobacco, it has been known for some time, and pr. Garner deter mined by studying some samples of soil from these spots that the soil con- tains the fungus germ which pro- duced root rot of tobacco. Tobacco planted in samples of the soil here developed the disease. Then Dr. Gar ner sterilized some of it with steam and treated some of it with formalda- hyde, a powerful disinfectant, and with lithium salts. These methods of treat ment destroyed germs in the soil so that tobacco planted in it developed
 
 ease.
 In carrying on this work Dr. Gar ner had the cooperation of James | J Johnson of Wisconsin, a recognized l on root rot. MT. Johnson, who has devoted years to study and | of root rot conditions which are especially prevalent in his state, has ascertained by observations and inquiries in New England, New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland Vir- ginia, Kentucky and Tennessee and | other tobacco growing sections, that | there is evidence of the presence of | root rot in the hurley tobacco district | near the Ohio river and other dis tricts.
 White burley tobacco is especially l susceptible to this disease. Little | the other hand are quite resistant. The department hopes to discover New England types of tobacco that are resistant to root rot.
 A good deal of the s2,5OO additional which congress is appropriating for tobacco experimental work under the of agriculture, during the next fiscal year, it is understood, will be expended by the government in in cooperation with state authorities, in studying root rot, black rot of tobacco, and other field experi- ments. The two diseases named, it is said caused the loss of millions of