119 



Fertilizers are not used in Ohio when new laud is cultivated ; farm- 

 yard manure is preferred and used almost exclusively in most tobacco 

 counties for old land. In Vinton County, after stripping oft" the leaves 

 in the field, hauling to tightly constructed houses, and stringing on 

 strings with a flat needle, and curing three days with furnace heat, the 

 stock is ready to take down and pack for market. 



In Indiana also farm-yard manure is required for old ground, on which 

 the largest crops are secured. In most tobacco-growing counties air- 

 curing is practiced, first on scaffolds and then in houses. Hickory lands 

 are in great request for tobacco. Very rarely are fertilizers used in Illi- 

 nois, fresh lands being mainly employed, yet farm manure is used some- 

 what upon fields long cultivated. Curing is done in open barns, or on 

 scaffolds, and in houses. 



Missouri tobacco is largely grown on fresh soil, land being i)lenty, and 

 the culture given to this crop being an excellent preparation for wheat 

 and other crops. If a fine quality of manufacturer's leaf is wanted, a 

 thin soil is selected on oak and hickory uplands. If more than two 

 crops are taken, inferior quantity and quality result. In rich soil on pin- 

 oak land a dark, heavy article is grown. Fertilizers are scarcely ever 

 used ; on a small portion of the area, always in old ground, farm ma- 

 nure is applied. Clover-sod is also cultivated profitably in tobacco. 

 The old mode of curing is largely practiced ; in some districts charcoal- 

 curing has been introduced, with increase of price to the extent of 25 to 

 50 per cent. What is called the " Yankee plan" has been adopted by 

 ■some — stringing the leaves with a needle and fastening the strings to 

 the ends of the sticks. 



MARKETING. 



Some of our correspondents make note of the mode of packing and 

 marketing. The crop of Litchfield County, Connecticut, was mainly 

 bought, hanging on the polefe, at 20 cents per pound. It is mostly de- 

 livered at the packing-houses of New Milford in bundles of 8 to 12 

 pounds, where it is sorted into four to six qualities, and packed in cases 

 of 375 to 400 pounds each; and, during the months of May and June, 

 undergoes a sweating, and becomes ready for market in August and Sep- 

 tember. Much of the last crop in Tolland County was sold before curing 

 at about 35 cents. Little of the New York production was sold until 

 February. 



In Maryland the stripping is done through the winter and spring; 

 packing into hogsheads during spring and summer ; and about one-half 

 is usually sent to market as early as August. A portion of the finer 

 qualities is used in this country, but most of the crop goes to Europe, 

 where much of it is used for smoking. The Montgomery County pack- 

 ages vary from 500 to 1,000 pounds. 



The fine tobacco of North Carolina is mostly taken to local manufac- 

 tories in a loose state. The coarse grades are, in part, sent in the same 

 manner, and a portion is packed in hogsheads, under iDressure. The 

 "Warren County crop is packed in hogsheads of 1,200 pounds, and sold 

 in Virginia, at Petersburg and Eichmoud. 



The Robertson County, Tennessee, crop goes mainly to Germany, 

 France, Italy, and to Africa, except a small quantity of very fine dark 

 wrappers taken by home manufacturers. In Barren County, Kentucky, 

 after stripping, it is tied in bundles of twelve leaves each, and put into 

 hogsheads holding about 1,500 pounds. In Christian it is assorted gen- 

 erally into two classes, known as leaf and lugs, two-thirds to three- 

 fourths being leaf and the remainder lugs, packed into hogsheads of 



