The Tobacco Crop 223 



Sumatra tobacco was the chief source of the wrappers for 

 domestic cigars. Of late there have been some experi- 

 ments made in growing the Sumatra tobacco in Connecti- 

 cut under shelters of cotton cloth. But thus far they have 

 not been very successful. In Florida the culture of the 

 Sumatra under cloth has been more successful, and a 

 very good quaUty of cigar wrappers is produced. And 

 in Texas in a limited section it is believed that the tobacco 

 of Cuba can be grown to the same quahty and character 

 as in Cuba itself. 



For this class of tobacco a strong friable 



Preparation clay loam is best suited. The best prepara- 

 of the Soil for ^j^^ ^^^ ^^^ ^ j^ ^^ ^^ ^ ^ ^f ^j^^^j. 



Heavy Ship- Tu i j ^i, • 



ping Tobacco or cow peas on the land the previous season. 



Turn this late in the fall and sow rye on the 

 land, to be in its turn plowed down in the early spring 

 after having served its purpose as a winter cover to pre- 

 vent loss of nitrates from the soil. If stable manure is to 

 be had, give the land a good dressing during the winter 

 on the rye to be turned under with it. Otherwise use the 

 fertilizer formula already given, at rate of 500 to 700 pounds 

 per acre, broadcast. The fall plowing is useful, not only 

 for the decay of the vegetable matter plowed under, but 

 also for the destruction of the cut worms that are apt to 

 infest a clover sod. The rye is to be turned under as 

 early in March as is practicable, and the land put into fine 

 tilth with the cutaway harrow and the smoothing harrow. 

 Potash being a very important thing in the feeding of 

 the crop of tobacco, all the accumulation of wood ashes 

 can be profitably added to the land in the final prepara- 

 tion. A part of the fertihzer can profitably be reserved 



