294 BOARD OP AGRICULTUEE. 



tabagas, &c., are grown. Soft turnips are sown on well 

 fertilized fallow or after some grain crop, sometimes 

 among other crops in vacant places, broadcast, the last week 

 in July. Tobacco has been produced in much greater area 

 and quantity the past season than ever before. A wild state- 

 ment has been the rounds of the papers as to the area devo- 

 ted to tobacco in this town ; the whole number of acres as 

 •near as I can approximate would fall below 400, not to ex- 

 ceed one-half the newspaper statements ; that will give about 

 one acre to each male inhabitant in the town. The mode of 

 culture with our best growers is to spread broadcast and plow 

 under about six inches 10 solid cords of stable manure, well 

 fined when spread, in April or before corn planting. A few 

 days before time for transplanting the ground is well plowed 

 again some two inches deeper, thoroughly harrowed, and then 

 the rows laid off, 3 feet 10 inches apart, by a small plow. In- 

 to these furrows is strewed guano and plaster mixed, at the 

 rate of 200 lbs. guano to 300 lbs. of plaster to the acre, 

 and covered with a ridger and the hills marked 30 inches 

 apart with a wheel marker in the centre of the top of the 

 ridges. The plants are grown in plant-beds in a sheltered 

 warm locality, in the richest soil, fine manure and guano be- 

 ing applied when the bed is prepared in spring, the surface of 

 the bed being made as fine and smooth as possible, the seed 

 sown broadcast at the rate of a tablespoonful to the square 

 rod of bed, after being sprouted in fine soil or chip dirt, fine 

 rotted wood or the like. Tiie bed is kept clear of weeds, and 

 when the plant's leaves attain a breadth of two inches with 

 good strong roots, first week in June usually, they are drawn 

 and set in the field during a moist or damp spell of weather, 

 setting the plants a trifle deeper than they grew in the bed. 

 As soon as set or the next day they must be looked over to 

 destroy the worms (cut worms,) and continue daily till the 

 plants are out of their way. As soon as the plants take root 

 they must be hoed and all missing places filled and kept so. 

 Two or three dressings with cultivator and hoe must follow- 

 according as the soil may need. Green worms must be kept 

 off from the time they come, fore part of July, till the crop is 



