The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1922-06-01
PLANT ENEMY IN SOIL
MAY BE CONTROLLED

The nematode can be controlled. |
That is a settled fact On the ex-
perimental farm of the College of
Agriculture, Gainesville, is conclusive
proof that this is true.
This eel-like pest should be con-
trolled, too. It's annual damage to
the farmers and truckers of this state
mounts into the millions of dollars
It burrows into and lives upon
the roots of such plants as tomatoes,
snap beans, cowpeas, okra, roses and
peach trees. Many other plants are
also affected. Forming engagements
on the roots in which they live, these
insects suck the juices from their
host plants and multiply by the mil
lions.
No more injurious soil pest of
plants is known to the agricultural
world. Experiments for its control
have been carried on for years. Pro-
fessor ]. R. Watson, of the Florida
Experimental Station, has devoted
much of his time to this project and
at last he has discovered a simple
remedy for this trouble maker. Re-
Gently he was asked for advice
which would be applicable to the Flor
ida farmer or trucker. He said:
eff you have a piece of land that
is badly infested with nematodes, you
can do nothing better than to grow
that land to bunch velvet beans dur
ing summer, keeping the soil constant
ly stirred. You will thus eliminate
the worms and improve your land at
the same time"
There are at least three fundamen-
tai principles involved in the control
of the nematode, according to Profess
or Watson. First, the worm matches
from eggs. To hatch these eggs re-
quires warmth, air and moisture.
Fail to provide any one of these three
things and there will be no Matching,
although the eggs will continue to
live. Second, the worms do not live
upon the roots of all plants. The
velvet bean is one of the plants that
is immune to the nematode. Third,
soil kept exposed to the sun is "burn-
up" or depleted of it's soil life.
These principles give rise to the
following directions for what seems
most practical and economical meth
cd of controlling the nematode:
1. Upon infested land grow crops
that are immune to the nematodes.
Bunch velvet beans is preferred for
this.
2. Keep that soil constantly stir
red. This permits air to reach the
eggs and the worms. The eggs hatch
out and denied the food they demand,
the worms starve.
The bunch velvet bean is recon-
mended in preference to the running
velvet bean because it permits cultiva-
ton which is necessary to prevent
the forming of a crust on the sur
face of the soil, which crust will pre-
vent the entrance of air.
The writer visited Professor Wat
sons experimental plots. In one in
stance snap beans were seen growing
on plot that had been given the
foregoing treatment last year. An
other plot was given exactly the same
treatment except that it was plant
ed to cowpeas instead of bunch vel
vet beans. The first plot had crop
of snap beans estimated to be at
least eighteen times better than the
snap bean crop Of the plot which
grew cowpeas last year. Therefore,
we have conclusive evidence that the
nematode can be controlled.
The farmer or trucker who is both
cred by this insect should grow
bunch velvet beans on his land during
summer and keep it constantly cul-
tivated for four or five months. In one
season the trick may be turned.-Ag-
ricultural News Service