[Steam-engine] Steaming tobacco beds?

[Mark]

I'll start by saying I have never steamed a garden yet, but plan to next 
year. When they did tobacco beds they did use large pans to cover the 
ground. I was recently told how to steam beds and gardens without a pan. You 
start with a large piece of heavy plastic, I suspect a cheap tarp would work 
as well. Turn up (till) the ground where you want to steam, you want to 
steam to get down in the dirt. Lay the plastic out over the area. Then take 
a heavy log chain and lay  it around the edges of the plastic to keep it 
down. Next, take a section of PVC pipe and drill holes all along it. I'm 
considering using small diameter, corrigated, flexible drain pipe but not 
sure if it will melt since it's thin. Be sure the end of the pipe is capped. 
Slide the pipe under the end of the pasltic. You want the pipe in the middle 
of the bed and want it to run about the full length of the bed or area you 
are steaming. Then connect a hose (steam hose or at least something that can 
handle steam) to the end of the pipe. Connect the other end to any steam 
outlet on your engine. You do have a steam outlet for steaming corn, lobster 
and shrimp, right? Open the steam valve enough that the plastic "inflates" 
over the area you are steaming. Wait about 15-20 minutes and the area should 
be done. In old days, a raw egg buried 3-4 inches under the surface would 
come out hard cooked if you steamed long enough. You should only have to 
steam the beds every few years to keep the weeds down. The result is that yo 
don't need herbicides and the garden / bed is much easier to maintain.

Mark


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "John Byers" <byers at bluemarble.net>
To: "'Steam-engine mailing list'" <steam-engine at lists.stationary-engine.com>
Sent: Friday, August 26, 2005 10:19 AM
Subject: RE: [Steam-engine] Steaming tobacco beds?


> Back in the day, this was often the last gasp (literally) for a traction
> engine with a sketchy boiler, worn out gearing, etc. as full pressure 
> wasn't
> needed, just the ability to produce lots and lots of steam, and move about
> the field periodically. I was told by the old-timers that it was really 
> hard
> on the boiler, especially the flues, because the blower was run 
> continually
> at full blast.
>
> The process destroyed soil born fungi that produced fusarium (sp?, or
> tobacco wilt as well as weed seeds. It took about 20 minutes to steam 
> about
> a 4x8 foot area by means of a steel pan of that size that sat on the 
> ground.
> The same old-timers recollected putting potatoes and eggs under the pan
> around dinner time. Now a days chemical means accomplish the same thing 
> for
> non-organic tobacco growers.
>
> John
>
> Ps. The Advance-Rumely is *still* for sale....don't let this one get away!
>
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: steam-engine-bounces at lists.stationary-engine.com
> [mailto:steam-engine-bounces at lists.stationary-engine.com] On Behalf Of Ken
> Hough
> Sent: Friday, August 26, 2005 8:48 AM
> To: Steam-engine mailing list
> Subject: Re: [Steam-engine] Steaming tobacco beds?
>
> It sterilizes the ground against certain "bugs"
> Ken
>
>> I often read that an engine or boiler was used for
>> steaming tobacco beds or gardens etc.  What is
>> happening when you steam a garden?
>>
>> Andy Glines
>> Evansville, IN
>
>
> Andy Glines
> Evansville, IN
>
>
>
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