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FARM, ORCHARD, DAIRY AND GARDEN. 



TOBACCO CULTURE.— The subject of 

 the culture and management of tobacco 

 is one which, while it has been discussed 

 at much length, by able writers, within 

 the past few years, is, at the same time, 

 one which, owing to many changes and 

 improvements in its management, as well 

 as in the various styles in which the 

 " weed " is prepared for use by manufac- 

 turers, and the rapidly growing impor- 

 tance ot the article as one of the "leading 

 staples" of the country, would justify some 

 further suggestions founded on actual ex- 

 perience. 



One of the leading and most successful 

 tobacco grower of the State of Kentucky 

 furnishes us the following as the result 

 of his experience and observation, covering 

 a term of twenty years, both as a grower 

 and seller of tobacco: "In the outset, I 

 promise to give no startling discoveries or 

 new theories on the subject, but will state 

 facts which, for the most part, may be 

 familiar to many of your readers, and my 

 object in writing is to try and get such to 

 practice better what they know, and 

 others, who have given the subject no 

 thought, and have never grown tobacco, 

 to devote a portion of their farms to the cul- 

 ture of a crop for which our soil and climate 

 are so well adapted, and which, when 

 properly managed, yields a better profit 

 than any other. 



The plant-bed is the foundation of the 

 crop, and is, therefore, of the first impor- 

 tance. The best time to sow seed is in Jan- 

 uary or February, if the ground is not too 

 wet or frozen too deep ; but they may be 

 sown as late as the first of April some- 

 times, and come in time for a late crop. 

 The most successful farmers sow plenty of 

 seed, and sow them early as well as late. 



In selecting ground for plant-beds, 

 choose rich, loose soil in your new ground, 

 if clearing tobacco ; if not, in the woods, 

 on some rich spot, where the sun will shine 

 on the bed most of the day. Clear a 

 space, say thirty feet square, of the grubs 

 and large roots ; rake off the leaves and 

 trash, and then commence piling the 

 brush by laying it first horizontally along 

 that side of the bed from which the wind 

 or breeze is blowing, to the depth and 

 width of four or five feet, and extending 

 across that side of the bed. Then con- 

 tinue the bed by setting the brush upright 

 with butts on the ground, and the boughs 



leaning against that which is lying hori- 

 zontally. Set the brush as thickly over 

 the entire surface of the bed as possible, 

 mixing with an occasional good-sized stick 

 of wood. It is important, in order to in- 

 sure good plants, to burn the ground well, 

 as it answers the double purpose of de- 

 stroying the roots and seeds of foreign 

 weeds and grasses, to prevent their spring- 

 ing up in advance of the tobacco plants, 

 and also dries the earth and puts it in 

 good condition to receive the seed in 

 almost any kind of weather. In burning, 

 set the fire on the side from which the 

 wind is blowing, unless it is blowing so 

 strong as to cause the pile to burn too 

 rapidly to heat the ground sufficiently — 

 the danger being not in burning too much, 

 but the reverse. " Three good men can 

 pile and burn a bed ten yards square in a 

 day. The following morning, the first 

 thing, rake off the sticks, chunks and 

 coals, which were not burnt, and with a 

 mattock or grubbing hoe, pulverize the 

 ground well, by digging to the depth of 

 four or five inches, carefully removing 

 roots of any considerable size, which last 

 may be done best with a fine rake. 



When the bed has been thoroughly pul- 

 verized and ready to be sown, mark it off 

 in lands, five feet in width, with the hoe or 

 rake handle, and cross in the same man- 

 ner in the opposite direction. Mix with a 

 common washpanful of dry ashes, one table- 

 spoonful of seed (and no more), not heaped, 

 but level full, and sow the ashes and seed 

 over the ground in the same manner as 

 sowing wheat ; sowing first over the bed 

 in one direction, and then in the opposite 

 one, so as to distribute the seed uniformly 

 over it. After sowing, rake the ground 

 lightly, and then tramp it until level and 

 comparatively smooth. Cover lightly with 

 green brush having no leaves on it to pro- 

 tect against late spring frosts, and to keep 

 leaves which may fall from adjoinig trees 

 from covering the young plants. 



Many farmers imagine that their failure 

 to obtain full prices is attributable to the 

 kind of seed they sow, and are continually- 

 hunting new varieties, when in reality they 

 may be using the best, and the fault lies in 

 another direction. The best variety to 

 sow will depend on the soil to be planted 

 and purposes for which the tobacco is to 

 be used. If to be planted in old land 

 or manured lots, which are best adapted 



