CULTURE AND MANAGEMENT OF TOBACCO. 87 



agricultural or scientific societies, local addresses, and newspaper articles of a 

 statistical or descriptive character, the territory has been almost a terra incog- 

 nita, to be explored in person, and its peculiarities gleaned from the mouths 

 of living witnesses. Some portions of the State were thus visited, and very 

 hastily observed ; portions had been traversed years before ; still much of the 

 State was left to be appropriately characterized, if possible, by careful analysis 

 and judicious weighing of the statements of those whose opportunities for ob- 

 servation have been ample. 



The acknoAvledgments of the author are respectfully tendered to all those 

 who have so promptly co-operated in this work, especially to his excellency 

 Governor Boreman ; to Hons. W. T. Willey and P. G. Van Winkle ; to Hon. 

 K. V. Whalcy, of the third congressional district, whose zeal for the welfare 

 of his district and State has been unabated ; to Hon. John M. Phelps, presi- 

 dent of the State Senate, and Senators Burley, of Marshall, Carskadou, of 

 Hampshire, Stevenson, of Wood, and Young, of Pocahontas ; to members of 

 the House of Delegates, McGrew, of Preston, McWhorter, of Roane, iluftuer, 

 of Kanawha, and Crawford, of Hancock ; to Messrs. W. P. Smith and J. B. 

 Ford, of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad, H. Hagans, of Preston, J. H. Diss 

 Debar, of Doddridge, 0. S. Richardson, of Kanawha, District Attorney Smith, 

 of Kanawha, A. AY. Campbell, of the Wheeling Intelligencer, J. E. Wharton, 

 of the Parkersburg Gazette, E. M. Fitzgerald, of the Point Pleasant Register, 

 and others. 



THE CULTURE AND MANAGEMENT OF TOBACCO. 



BY L. J. BRADFORD, AUGUSTA, KENTUCKY. 



The success of a growing crop of tobacco depends much upon early planting. 

 The selection of such situations for plant beds as will insure a proper exposure 

 to the sun is all important. The eastern or southern slopes of hills, near their 

 base, afford the best locations, the beds so situated being free from sobbing, and 

 the warmth of the sun greater than upon a flat surface. 



Regard should also be had to the character of the soil. It should be suffi- 

 ciently close to render it retentive of moisture, and yet contain sand enough to 

 give it quickness. Made earths and pufiy soils are unfit for tobacco, being too 

 arid, and liable to heave. 



Seed may be sown from the 1st of January to the 10th of April in a hot-bed, 

 or commonly on a patch of ground prejiared by burning on it a quantity of 

 brush. 



Beds prepared in the early part of the season require more burning than 

 those at a later period. There is little danger of burning too hard, however, at 

 any time, as the plants generally succeed best ou beds most thoroughly burned. 

 After the beds are burned and cooled oft", they are dug up with a common 

 sprouting hoe deep enough to afford the plant a loose soil in which to extei-d 

 its roots. In the preparation of the beds care should be taken to leave .he sur- 

 face soil as much on top as possible, as it will promote a quicker and better 

 growth of the young plants. After the beds are well pulverized by hoeing and 

 raking, the seeds mixed with dry ashes are to be sowed as evenly as possible 

 ..over the surface, at the rate of a common table spoonful to every eighty square 

 yards, the bed lightly raked over or trod evenly with the feet, well covered 



