The Wilmington morning star., 1946-05-13

,hese days that 1t is hard for one
% keep up with all of them. AL
sorts of preparations are being de.
veloped for the killing of weeds
Tor instance. Only last week, Farm
Agent A. V. Thomas conducted a
demonstration in using chemicals
10 control "sandspurs" in a Jones
County pasture.
The tests were made on E. E.
Bells farm where the sandspurs
aad covered a small area The re-
suits are not yet apparent but, if
these chemicals are like others
which have appeared on the farm
market, they presumably make the
weeds grow until they r ex-
hausted and then die. That seems
a strange way in which to kill a
plant, but that's the way it is.
Proves Satisfactory
This new chemical, Fermate,
used to prevent blue mold in to-
bacco plant beds seems to have
done a satisfactory job. Robson
County farmers say the blue mold
situation has cleared up nicely in
that county. Every man who used
the Fermate to control the disease
this year will use it again next
season. They also found that while
nearly every bed sprayed with the
Fermate had a little of the blue
mold, it was only a light infesta.
ton, and the plants recovered
quickly. The spray really control
led the trouble until the plants
were ready to be set.
That seems to be the experience
of most tobacco growers. The
Fermate is not an absolute pre-
ventive, but it does keep the blue
mold under control and SO well
checked that the plants. are able
to grow out of it without too much
damage. The material is worth
the price just for this good effect
alone. Many Of those who had
trouble with the disease, in spite
of spraying, perhaps did not use
the material exactly as it should
have been used, because many
growers had to apply the spray
with make-shift apparatus. 1t was
nearly impossible to get the spray
ing equipment needed. Tobacco
growers say they hope they shall
be able to get such equipment next
year.
Protest Loss
1t seems a shame, they say,
that farmers are compelled to lose
so much now because they cannot
get tractors, plows, combines, and
other equipment that they SO badly
need, all because selfish interests
are holding up the production OF
coal and manufactured products
to their own personal advantage.
Jonas Fields, of Seven Springs,
in Wayne county, has just COM
pleted the work with another chem
ical which he used last fall in con-
trolling weeds in his tobacco beds.
He used cyanamid to do this and
secured excellent results. AL
spring, while his neighbors were
laboriously picking or pulling the
weeds from their plant beds with
their hands, Mr.. Fields had prac,
tically no weeds. But he did not
follow the manufacturers recon:
m%endations in using the chemical.
Instead, he just let it remain on
the top of the soil until it came
time for him to plant his tobacco
seed, then he prepared the plant
bed in the usual manner.
Agents Impressed
He secured such good results
that a number of top men, officials
of the Manufacturing company,
went down to Wayne county to see
for themselves. They told Farm
Agent C. S. Mintz that they were
very much impressed with Mr
Fields results. There is no doubt
that this cyanamid does control
the weeds. Joe Anthony, over IN
Wilson county, says there is no
comparison as to the amount OF
hand labor needed where the ma
terial is used and where 1t IS
where the cyanamid was USED
there was no weeds. Wilson to-
bacco growers are progressive and
they try out every good thing com
ing their way. Their use OF the
cyanamid each fall on tobacco
plant beds has Increased rapldly.
Still another new chemical is be-
ing tried ont by eastern Carolina
tobacco growers this year. This is
our ole friend copper sulphate OF
bluestone. Some growers have add
ed a little of this bluestone to tnelr
tobacco fertilizers, particularly on
dark soils. to get the effect OF the
conner as a f%ertilizing element.
preliminary tests show that the
copper does add to the yield and
vigor of the plant on such dark
but it also affects the taste
of the tobacco.
Growers Plan Test
Two Wayne County growers Will
try one acre each with the copper
sulphate added to their fertilizer
this year, but the material is not
vet being recommended by Expert
ment Station research men.
A. M. FRAGILE of Richards,
Route l. in Onslow County used
cyanamid on 400 yards of tobacco
bed last fall to control weeds, and
has had practically no weeds at
all this spring, reports Charley
Clark, farm agent. Right next to
this treated bed, however, is an