TOBACCO. 



The scientific facts pertaining to agriculture, so far as 

 they have been discovered, are scattered through many 

 books and agricultural publications; few of these publi- 

 .cations are accessible to the ordinary farmer. 



Some service may be done to the farmers gen- 

 .erally and especially in the cotton States by col- 

 lecting some im[)ortant facts that are accurately 

 and certainly known and the experience of intel- 

 ligent farmers and scientific men on the subject of "Tobac- 

 co Culture" and presenting these to the public in com- 

 pact form. The investigation of this subject was com- 

 menced last year and methods of cultivation and manage- 

 ment of this crop was given in Bulletin No 37, March, 92. 



I. Ob.JECT of ExPERIxMENT. 



Experiments to a limited extent were undertaken the 

 past year in tobacco, with seed fromseveral varieties that 

 are raised in Virginia, North Carolina, Florida, Connecticut 

 and Cuba to ascertain, if possible, the kinds that are best 

 iidapted to this climate, and tofind out if the culture of to- 

 bacco, as a staple crop, could be made profitable in Alabama. 



Experimentation was conducted only in a general way, 

 more with reference to the growth of the ditferent varie- 

 ties planted and their qualities, than to tlie particulars of 

 fertilizers suitable to the crop and methods of curing. 



Haishig Plants. — These experiments were commenced 

 the middle of February ; at that time preparation was made 

 for raisingthe plants in the open air bedsburntin the woods. 

 The first seeding was made 13th of February; from this bed 

 very few of the plants came up. The 7th day of March 

 two open air beds were made which were left without any 



