CULTURE OF CIGAR LEAF. 413 



seen in his tobacco patch, and this is carried out to the 

 greatest perfection in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania. 

 As tobacco is grown solely for the leaf, great care should 

 be taken in the later cultivation that no injury be done 

 to the leaves. When land has been thoroughly culti- 

 vated, the weeds are entirely eliminated in the early 

 part of the season, and the plant so shades the ground, 

 in its later stage of growth, that weeds cannot flourish. 

 Within a week from the first, light hoeing, a culti- 

 vator, set narrow, should be run between the rows and 

 run deeply, for too much care cannot be taken to 



FIG. 117. PROUT'S HOEING MACHINE. 



For tobacco and other crops requiring close culture. It can be ii'ed with one or 

 two horses. When the ground is level and you wish to keep it so, run thv 

 hoes even, but if you wish to ridge, the hoes can be fitted to the desired angle. 

 It can be adjusted so as to hoe the most delicate plants without injury, and to 

 any width of row. It is made by the Belcher & Taylor Agricultural Tool Co., 

 of Chicopee Falls, Mass. 



keep the under soil mellow. A good stirring of the soil 

 at this time is desirable, pulverizing, admitting light 

 and air and leaving it in a condition more favorable to 

 the plant. It is well to go over the field a week later 

 with the hand hoe, to destroy any weeds missed by the 

 cultivator. If the right tools are used, horse labor can 

 be employed very largely in cultivation, and this is com- 

 ing to be the practice throughout the cigar-leaf regions, 

 and with great benefit to the crop, as well as saving to 

 the planter. A favorite implement with New England 



