115 



tboroughly dry. It is stripped from the stalks iu damp weather aud 

 assorted, usually making four grades, yellow, spangled or red, ground 

 leaf, aud tips. 



The following extracts from Virginia returns give a variety of infor- 

 mation on culture, fertilizers, and curing : 



Amelia : Laud is sometimes, but not often, checked, or laid off both ^ays. When 

 not checked the beds are thrown up with two furrows of a double- turniuji; plow, and 

 usually about 250 pounds applied to the acre of some one of the commercial fertilizers 

 in the market; everybody uses different, changes every year, aud alternately praises 

 aud blames. All agree in this, that there is no money in the use of them, either in 

 the first or any subsequent crop ; all agree that the commercial fertilizer has been a 

 curse to the land instead of any benefit. What little stable-manure is raised is spread 

 on the laud before marking off. Tl:e ridges being up, hands with flat hoes pass along, 

 and at intervals of 2^ to 3 feet strike off the crov.n of the bed and press it with a short 

 blow from the flat of the hoe. In May or June, so soon as a rain has fallen aud a " sea- 

 son has come," the plants are sot, one iu each hill. They live easily, aud if the plants 

 are of tolerable size, and no insects attack them, a stand is secured without difficulty. 

 So soon as the plants give signs of growth in their uew places, a 3 or 5 tooth cultivator 

 is lightly run twice between the rows, one tooth being guided as near to the line of 

 jdants as possible without covering or disturbing them. Hoes follow, geutly breaking 

 the crust around the plaut. This is a weeding operation, and if omitted serious con- 

 sequences sometimes follow. Fields under a nice rain and warm sun become as a 

 carpet in one week, with a grass here called " crab-grass." It incloses the plaut and 

 cannot be removed without imminent risk of death to it. This is the critical period, 

 and if passed in safety the jilanter regards his crop safe. After this, until the 25th of 

 August, the ground is kept stirred with shovel-plows, and kept level, or nearly 

 so. The plants being now up, "primed" and "topped," single-turn i>lows are 

 put in with four furrows to the row, the soil thrown up as high arovind each 

 jdant as the plow will heave it. By some this is not deemed sufficient, aud 

 they cause hoes to pass over the field, drawing the soil stiJl higher up around 

 the stalks of the plant. This sometimes proves of great benefit. The winds oi 

 the equinox, accompanied with soaking rains, are prevented from throwing the plants 

 down into the mud. After this last hilling no further cultivation is required. The 

 last of August aud the whole of September is spent iu quest of worms. Appomattox : 

 Cultivated chiefly on newly-opened land without fertilizers, and upon lots with farm- 

 yard manure. Botetourt : For old land, deep plowing, hilled with a two-horse plow. 

 Our best farmers say it. pays well to use a fertilizer, dropping a small quantity in the 

 hill. Caroline : The beds for seed require the same preparation as for cabbage-beds ; 

 sow as soon after the 1st of January as the ground is in order ; transplant soon as the 

 plants have sufficient roots to sustain them ; say the last of May or first of June. When 

 the crop is planted out early, so as to ripen before the frost, aud is kept clear of grass 

 and worms, we never fail to make a fair crop. Various fertilizers are used ; the one 

 generally preferred is a preparation for tobacco by the Old Dominion Fertilizing Com- 

 pany, Richmond. Chesterfield : Land well plowed, stable-manure spread, listed both 

 ways, the hills 3 to 3^ feet apart each way, flattened with the hoe ; in season for the 

 plants as early as they are large euough ; aud " a bud in May is worth a plant in June; " 

 nnceasing vigilance required iu August and September to prevent its ruin by worms. 

 Cumberland: Our leading idea is, to make a heavy, rich, long plant, either very early for 

 the stemmers, or later in the season for shipping. The soil and climate are remarkably 

 suited to tobacco, aud by heavy manuring and thorough cultivation, 2,000 pounds per 

 acre may be raised. Dinwiddie : Plow the land early in winter ; in April spread 07i it 

 all the manure we can find, from stable, farm-yard, and pig-sty, and plow ir under; 

 cross-plow and harrow eai-ly^ in May ; mark off hills 3^ feet apart and fertilize at the 

 rate of 300 to 500 pounds per acre, by hand o' 'Ivill ; then bed up the land, four fur- 

 ro.ws together, mark across 3 feet apart and chop aud smooth with the hoe midway be- 

 tween the checks. Plant as early as practicable after the 10th of May. When ready 

 for topping the best farmers always prune off the small leaves at the bottom, and 

 break out the bud, leaving 8 to 12 leaves, according to the strength of the land or the 

 time of topping. If planted any time before the 12th of June the farmer can select his 

 own time for cutting, but if later Le must beware of frost, or cut his crop green. We 

 use all kinds of fertilizers. Peruvian guano acts better than any other. Oar barns are 

 principally built of round logs, the spaces being pointed with clay -mud to make them 

 close. These are considered the best for curing, as they retain the heat better. To 

 make dark stripping, or fillers, we commence firing soon as the tobacco is housed and 

 keep the fires up for three days. It is only rich, strong land that makes this class of 

 tobacco. To make red wrappers or fillers we put the tobacco in the barn, allowing 

 T)leuty of space, and using no fire except in very damp or rainy weather to prevent 

 mold. This tobacco is grown on almost any variety' of eoil, the richer the batter. To 



