CHAPTER XIX. 



CULTURE OF CIGAR LEAF TOBACCO. 



Soils. Throughout all the New England tobacco 

 section, a warm, deep, sandy loam, having a permeable 

 subsoil, is preferred for the crop. Occasionally, tobacco 

 is grown upon the bottom lands, especially when well 

 drained. The soil of these lands is dark with vegetable 

 matter, but rendered easy of tillage in most cases by the 

 large percentage of sand which it naturally contains. 

 The popular impression is, that tobacco from the bottom 

 lands is dark colored, and as only light wrappers are 

 now in demand, and this can be expected when grown 

 on the higher land, the bottom lands are not much used 

 for tobacco. However, the most essential point looked 

 for is that the soil is free from standing water, and sus- 

 ceptible of early and late cultivation. Providing this 

 condition exists, the bottom lands can be used ; but this 

 condition is exceptional. The alluvial soil of the Con- 

 necticut bottoms differs from that of most bottom lands 

 in the country, in possessing a considerable proportion 

 of sand, which renders it warm and easy of cultivation, 

 and is much less troubled with water than is usually found 

 on similar lands in other valleys. Tobacco, therefore, 

 can be raised on some lands in the Connecticut valley, 

 when it would fail if placed on the bottom lands of other 

 rivers. 



Freedom from standing water, a naturally well- 

 drained soil, is the first great essential to successful to- 

 bacco growing. The crop will not grow in a soil pos- 

 sessing an impervious subsoil that prevents drainage, 

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