CARE AND CULTIVATION OF TOBACCO IN CONN. VALLEY. I 75 



as cheap as $6.00 the first of October. Sometimes the mechani- 

 cal effect is of advantage, sometimes the opposite in spring 

 ploughing. There are some pieces of land that have been in 

 continual use for tobacco for a period of seventy-five years or 

 over. The soil does not seem to deteriorate under the treat- 

 ment, showing conclusively that land is merely a machine. 

 These lands have been highly manured all this time, mainly 

 with stable manure, and it is only within a few years that com- 

 mercial fertilizer has been generally used by the farmer in con- 

 nection with this material. Formerly ten or twelve cords of 

 manure per acre were used alone. Now eight to ten are used 

 with a quantity of fertilizer, mostly of a nitrogenous nature, as 

 a top dressing. Castor pomace and cotton seed meal are favor- 

 ably received, some growers deeming them indispensable, as 

 insuring the growth at the latter end of the season. Potash is 

 an element very necessary to the proper development of the 

 plant. This is too often lost sight of by the growers. Still, our 

 tobacco lands are as productive as ever. It may be that the 

 weights are not as heavy as formerly, but this is partly due to 

 methods of cultivation, a finer leaf being the result. 



The rule seems to be to plough the land in the fall as soon 

 as the crop is off, whether the manure is applied then or not. 

 Plough again in the spring when the manure is applied (if 

 not in the fall), and sometimes again just before setting. 

 A good way is to apply the manure — if any is to be used — 

 as early in the spring as it can be obtained, keeping the land as 

 free from weeds as possible, with some kind of a harrow. Then 

 apply the fertilizer at the next ploughing, or at setting. The 

 broadcast way is best, and is absolutely necessary with ma- 

 chine setting. Starters can be applied in the drill or broad- 

 cast, as most convenient, according as to whether it is to be 

 hand or machine set. The land should be made as smooth as 

 possible with a smoothing harrow. This is especially necessary 

 if the machine is to be used. The plants of suitable size hav- 

 ing been removed from the seed bed in the early morning 

 and kept in a cool place until wanted, the setting may begin 

 at any time that is convenient, though afternoon hours are 

 preferable. Here individual custom and convenience, with 

 weather conditions, govern. Of course, the mechanical con- 

 dition of the soil must be taken into consideration also. The 

 machine, which can only be used to advantage when the ground 



