Febrnary 20, 1866. ] 



JOURN.Ui OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



137 



THE GROWTH AND MANUFACTURE OF 

 TOBACCO FOR FUMIGATING-PURPOSES. 



EPiY often questions are asked 

 about the best and clieapest 

 mode of destroying insects 

 in borticiiltm-al structures ; 

 and, on the score of cheap- 

 ness, tobacco paper and other 

 inventions are recommended. After all the patent prepa- 

 rations there is nothinf; that can rival Tobacco for fumi- 

 gating-pui'poses ; but the question of expense is a con- 

 sideration where plants liable to the attacks of gi'een fly 

 are grown on an extensive scale. For a house of moderate 

 dimensions little less than a pound of shag tobacco will 

 prove ample, and then the dose should be repeated once 

 or t^vice aften\'ards in order to prove eflectual in the de- 

 struction of the insects whicli smn-ive. This item will in 

 the course of a year prove considerable, and add a ratlier 

 large amount to the expenses of tlie garden. Now, in order 

 to overcome tliis expenditure, for several j-ears I have 

 given attention to the gi-owth and preservation of Tobacco, 

 and I have found by care in its proper preparation that the 

 home-grown is quite equal to the best Tobacco procured 

 from the tobacconists. The land I use for this pm-pose is 

 the Nicotiana tabacum : it was introduced into tliis country 

 about tliree hundred years ago by Ralph Lane, and either 

 brought from Tobago iu the West Indies, or Tobasco in 

 Mexico, whence it derives its name. 



In the southern counties Tobacco ■nill vegetate in the 

 open ground witliout artificial assistance, but in a cold 

 district like tliis it is necessary to raise the plants in a 

 little heat. One or two pans are sown, according to the 

 number of plants required, about the middle of April, and 

 by the second week in Ma}' the j'oung seetUings are ready 

 to prick-off into small fiO-sized pots. They are then 

 allowed to remain in lieat until they become established, 

 and are hardened ott' by degrees. By the time the first 

 crop of early Potatoes from a warm border is taken up. 

 which will be in the tliii'd week in .Time, the Tobacco plants 

 will be strong and robust, and ready for transplanting. 

 Tlie groimd is then foi'ked over, and a quantity of manure 

 applied, as Tobacco is a gross feeder, and a great ex- 

 hauster of the soil. The plants are then placed about 

 2 feet apart, and if tlie weather happens to be dry. they 

 are watered about every other day to give them a start. 



By the middle of September the plants are 5 or (i feet 

 high, when the lower leaves are gathered, and either tied 

 in small bundles, and siispended fi'om the roof, or laid on 

 shelves, in an early \-inery to sweat and dry. We keep 

 collecting a quantity of leaves at intervals till the plants 

 have done growing, when aU tliat are left are gathered, 

 with a portion of the summit of the plant. As soon as the 



No. 256.— Vol. X., New Seeies, 



first-gathered leaves are sutficiently dry they are stored 

 away in large pots or boxes, packed quite solid, and put 

 away in a di-y place. Care must be taken not to store the 

 leaves away too soon while they are siu-charged with mois- 

 ture. othei-Tiise they viiU decay, and lose their peculiar 

 principle. "\Mien the Tobacco is required for use, we cut 

 it into chaft-like steeds \vitli a sharp knife. If a large- 

 quantity were required a chaft-cutting maeliine might with 

 advantage be employed. The produce of about seventy 

 plants supplies all wants tlu'oughout the year. 



Tlie plan adopted for fiunigating is very simple, and 

 what some of your fast-going readers might say rather old- 

 fashioned ; it "is the system wliich I learned in my eai-ly 

 days, it ansv.-ers very "well, and until I tliscover a better I 

 shall adhere to it, though it certainly is not the most agi-ee- 

 able. An eight-mch pot is employed ; near the bottom is 

 made a liole large enough to receive the nozzle of the- 

 bellows, a few red hot cinders arc put in the bottom of the 

 pot. and over the cinders a good quantity of Tobacco. The 

 pot is then carried into the house wliich is to be fumigated, 

 and au- is gentlv blown by the bellows tlu-ough the hole 

 m the bottom. Care is taken to keep the Tobacco equally 

 distributed over the cinders, to prevent the Tobacco-dust 

 escaping from the pot. A few minutes Tvill suffice to 

 charge the structiu-e vrith smoke so as to destroy insect 

 life. I have never discovered any injiu-y to the plants 

 arising from tliis simple method, except on one occasion. 

 Some shrubby Calceolaria plants had been taken up fi-om 

 the borders iii the autumn to supply a few cuttings in the 

 spi-ing. The house in which they were kept was rather 

 too warm for them, and the atmosphere was charged with 

 a superabundance of humidity ; the young foliage being, 

 as might be expected, very tender, the first sminy day after 

 the house was smoked some of the young leaves tiu-ned 

 rather brou-n. but not so much so as to permanently injure 

 the plants. Some place a little moss over the Tobacco in 

 the pot, tliis is good plan when there is any danger of the 

 cinders being too hot. 



When the yoimg shoots in the orchard-house become 

 infested with the green apliis, wluoh rarely ocem-s, we put 

 a handful or two of Tobacco in a vessel, and pour over it a 

 quantity of boiling water ; the yoimg shoots are dipped in 

 the liquor when cold, and it is quite eft'ectual in destroying 

 the insects. This I consider a simple and effectual way 

 of destiwing insect Ufe, and not to be despised because oi" 

 its sunpiicity. It is worthy of the attention of amateur 

 cultivators of plants, that the Tobacco in its groT\-ing state 

 is rather ornamental than otherwise. 



Wliile on the subject of Tobacco, I would caution, my 

 younger brethren of the spade against the inordinate use^ ot 

 this poisonous narcotic. The habitual use of tobacco, like 

 many otlier stimulants to wliich man becomes a slave, may 

 appear for a time harmless, and is thought imder certain 

 circumstances advantageous to the human system. The 

 essential oil of tobacco acts du-ectly on the brain_ and 

 nervous system, and applied to a wound has been said by 

 good authorities to prove as fatal as the bite of a -^iper. 

 The oil. given to pigeons, has been laio-s\Ti to cause vomiting 

 and death. For a time the use of tobacco might be resorted 



No. SOS.— Vol. XXXV., Old Kekles. 



