The Chronicle-star combined with the Moss Point advertiser., 1946-08-02
Experts Say
Tung Trees
Now Pay Off
Business Survives
Weuther. Wor. And
Point Substitutes

A detailed review of tung pro-
duction and experimentation and
a discussion of the present out
look we're presented this week by
outstanding experts at meetings
in Hurley and Wade under the
sponsorship Of the Pascagoula
Moss Point Chamber of Com
merce.
S. r. Greer, horticulturist and
superintendent Of the South Mis-
sissippi Branch Experiment sta
ton, and G.. F. Potter. in charge
of the Agricultural Research Ad-
ministfation plant at Bogalusa,
described various new strains OF
tung trees which had been de-
ve1oped to meet varying require
ments. and outlined the cultiva-
tien methods which have been
found most effective.
The message Of both speakers
was that tung has definitely prov
ed a successful cash crop IN South
Mississippi during the past ten
years. A lot depends on the in
telligence and determination Of
the farmer, they aid, but when
tung cultivation is undertaken in
the right way II pays unusually
high dividends.
Cover Crops
They stressed the importance
Of selecting the right kind of
tree, and of growing cover crops.
Seed should be planted in a nur-
scry for one year, they said, and
then the hardest seedlings Sc
lected and set out In the orchard.
Tne poorer seetfs sfroot straight
up in the nursery, while the best
trees have o tendency to branch
out. When cultivation begins,
veteh and peas make good cover
crops to grow between the trees.
This should be fertilized with
phosphate and lime, and eventu-
ally plowed under as green ma
neur. Later, in the spring, a
quantity of pure nitrogen should
be added TO the soil. This form
Of cultivation gives the Highest
yield, they said, but they told of
q number of instances where
good seed stock was selected
such Us a half mile Of trees along
j fence row, which got almost no
cultivation. and yet which pro-
duced high and lucrative yields,
Tung has been grown in COM
mercial quantities in this country
since 1898, Mr.. Potter said, and
In that time only two crops have
been heavily damaged by cold
been heavily damaged by cold
eording to this speaker was; 1888,
good crop; 1889, hot weather IN
January caused sap to rise, fol.
lowed by 20 degree weather on
February %, resulting in loss of
90 percent of the crop; 1910, very
large crop; l94i. good; i942, good,
1943, IS percent of crop lost by
cold, 1914, '945, 1916, full crops.
Bumper Crop
The spesker said il had been
found that a year of frost 5"s-
truction was generally followed
by a bumper crop the following
year.
He sad that Ill tung oil was
taken by the government during
the war aud that during these
years the manufactures of com
mercial paints, the biggest peace
time users of the oil, had to do
without it and To try to find sub
stitutes. Tung producers were
worries that perhaps a successful
synthetic oil had been made that
would put them out OF business,
However" he said, when the
war was over and the paint manu-
facturers could again buy tung
oil, they stampeeded tung grow
ers with kilograms, letters and
telephone calls, and a tung farm
er would almost have to go hide
in the woods if he wanted TO gel
some sleep. So obviously no cf-
lective substitute has been de-
veloped yet. As for the future
prospects Of such q development
10 men can prophecy"
The rural-urban meetings were
held in the Hurley school Tues
day night and at the Wade schcol
on Wednesday night, under the
sponsorship CT the agricultural
committee of the c. OF c. 3. d
Spann and L. L. Stigler we're "
charge of arrangements for these
meetings, and MIR Stigler prcsid-
ed at the sessions.