117 



maile by burning a moist, rich bottom, dag thorongbly four to five feet 

 deep ; the seeds are raked in quite shallow, the bed trampled with the 

 feet, and covered with brush. Well-decomposed stable-manure is freely 

 applied as a top-dressing to the plants, to keep up a high temperature, 

 to hasten growth, and prevent the depredations of the tiy ; and in some 

 cases, tobacco-stalks, chopped fine, Peruvian guano, hen-mauure, and 

 hog-hair. While fertilizers of all sorts are used in field-culture, the 

 main reliance of the best farmers is found in farm-manure and wood- 

 ashes. 



In Gadsden, Florida, " the heretofore prevalent opinion that freshly 

 cleared land was essential to the production of a fine quality of tobacco 

 is fast giving*way as the result of experience, it being found that suc- 

 cessive crops may be grown on the same land without any deterioration 

 in quality, so long as the fertility of the soil is maintained at its original 

 standard and it is kept from being fouled with grass and weeds. 

 Usually upon lauds appropriated to tobacco no fertilizers are used for 

 the first and second crops ; after that a compost of barn-yard manure 

 and cotton-seed, applied in the "hill, is found to give the best results. In 

 cultivation, if a lighter article is desired, the plow may be dispensed 

 with after breaking up the land, and the cultivating done with the hoe. 

 If a thick, heavy leaf is desired, the plant is topped so as to leave 

 twelve or fourteen leaves; if a lighter article, it may grow until it 

 begins to throw out the seed-branches." 



Fertilizers are little used in Tennessee; growers in certain counties 

 have scarcely heard of their use. oSTew land is the main reliance. In 

 Smith, where the soil is very fertile, " the practice of the tobacco-raiser 

 has been to begin at the bottom of the hill, clear off a few acres, put 

 them in tobacco from year to year till they become exhausted, and then 

 go up the hill a few acres higher ; thus wearing out, as it is called, and 

 too truly, one field after another, until the tobacco-growing part of the 

 county, which is a little more than half its area, is greatly exhausted." 



In West Virginia tobacco is grown almost exclusively on recently 

 cleared land, the best crop being obtained the second year, without 

 fertilizers, and a sure crop of wheat follows. 



Kentucky, the great tobacco State, is thus reported on the points of. 

 culture and curing: 



• 

 Adair : The best piece of ground the former has is set apart for tobacco. It has for 

 a long time beeu the habit to clear up a piece of woodland and i^lant it in tobacco 

 until it is too poor to produce that crop; but since most of the good timbered lands 

 have been cleared out, the farmers use manure to produce the crop, generally iilacing 

 a good spadeful in each hill. If the season is wet, manure increases the crop greatly^; but 

 if dry, it burns it, and is not of much use. BaUard : No fertilizers used. Bracken : We 

 use no fertilizers except well-rotted stable or barn-yard manure, which does well on old 

 land. But new ground is best for tobacco, except for the liner qualities, and to this end 

 fiirmers are constantly clearing up new land and old thickets and waste-places for fresh 

 soil. Christian : The best lauds are selected, as tobacco will not grow to any profit on poor 

 land. Manure from the farm, but no fertilizers used. Clinton : No fertilizers except 

 stable-manure. Cumberland: A large amount of our tobacco is cured without firing. 

 Edmonson : Generally new groiind is used for tobacco and then planted in corn. Flem- 

 ing : The crop from new land is always superior in quality, and farmers endeavor to 

 clear up a sufficiency for it. Grant : No fertilizers used. Grayson : My neighbor's 

 ground and mine were about equal in condition, planted about the same time, and the 

 crops grew very much alike until topping, worming, and suckering commenced. Dif- 

 ference in management after that caused the following results : My six acres made 

 5,600 pounds; his twelve acres, 5,300 pounds. Graves: The best tobacco raised on new 

 land. No commercial fertilizers used. Hardin: Grown on new ground, without any fer- 

 tilizer. Hart: Generally raised on new ground, and no fertilizer used. Stable-manure 

 is used on thin soil. Let it stand until thoroughly ripe ; cut and handle very care- 

 fully ; house immediately in close bams ; place several charcoal fires in each room, and 

 keep them up until the tobacco is perfectly yellow, or, as some term it, white — the 



