Evening star., 1947-11-23
SoilFurr1igation
Speeds Growth,
HaltS ROOtknOt
By CharIes E. Gopen

To Albert Behnke, nurseryman,
living near an agricultural expert
ment station was like living over a
gold deposit or an oil pool. Most
such stories have to do with persons
who sell out or move just before the
strike. But Mr.. Behnke, whose eight
acre nursery Is at Beltsville, Md,
made the strike himself by getting
interested eight years ago in the pos
sibilities Of fumigation for controll-
ing nematodes In his soil. He is now
getting the first pleasing commercial
results in superior plants and can
congratulate himself that he was
willing to take chance on those
relatively new scientists, the plant
nematologists.
Mr.. Behnke's interest in what
nematodes might be doing to his
crops of ornamentals began when
he learned that research men at the
Plant Industry Station, almost next
door to him, were In need Of nursery
stock for experimental use. He came
to their aid with 5000 rose seeding
understood plants. The expert
menterS knew the soil was loaded
with nematodes that cause rootknot.
There were trials and failures, but
finally they worked out a good prac-
tice, and this marked Mr.. Behnke,s
conversion to one of the newest
things in nursery management. To-
day he has a tractor-drawn appH-
Gator, really an improved soil-work-
ing machine, and an adapted sprayer
to put in the fumigants for his
larger paintings and a hand apph-
Gator for his small beds. The hand
applicator looks somewhat like the
old-time hand corn planters.
Tear Gas and Time.
About the first of June this year
Mr.. Behnke was preparing a bed
100 feet by feet for planting seeds
of perennials. The first operation
after the soil was in good shape was
to put in chloropicrin tear gas) /,
shots 6 inches deep, 10 inches apart |
each way and 21z to 3 ccs. to hole
less than teaspoonful. The
chloropicrin costs 81 pound, but
1t kills the weeds and many fungi
(moSt soil fungi, the specialists say |
as well as the nematodes down to
inches deep. If the soil isn't dis
turbed later, Mr.. Behnke says, he
gets absolute weed control In his
beds of young plants.
AS the application of the fumi-
CANT with the hand machine goes
on, the operator drags his feet to
push soil in the holes and lamps 1t
to firm the surface and delay escape
and increase the killing power of
the expensive vapor. AS soon as a
considerable area of the bed has
been treated the surface is sprinkled
with water until soaked and is then
covered with tar paper to cut down
evaporation.
Power Applicator Specially Made.
The power applicator was made
up for Behnke by a manufacturer
of spraying equipment. 1t is not
strictly power machine, but is
made so that 1t can be drawn by
small garden tractor, horse or
mule, or by two men. The tractor
used at the nursery is in combina-
tion with a soil-fining machine and
the famigant applicator, a rather
simple machine, is dragged behind.
1t looks much like a small cult
vator with a 2-gallon tank on top
that feeds into small metal tubes
leading down alongside cutters that
pass easily through the already pull
verized soil The fumigant feeds
out by gravity. The applicator cost
S120, but made in quantity would
doubtless sell for very much less.
The applicators that are used to
fumigate with chloropicrin must be
thoroughly cleaned right after fin
ishing job, as the chemical attacks
metal. For cleaning, Behnke uses
a $3.50 mixture of kerosene and
lubricating oil and follows with a
cupful of clean oil sloshed about to
coat the walls.
After this pulverizing -fumigating
treatment the seedbed Is ready to
receive seeds or plants as soon as
enough time has elapsed for most
of the chemical to evaporate-two
to three weeks.
"Wonderful Root Systems"
Pansies and rose understocks are
good illustrations Of how fumigation
is clearing the way for profits in
Behnke's nursery. Before using