THE FARMERS' REGISTER. 



VOL. I. 



m'^^-ixm^^w^ ^^wiih ase^a 



NO. 11. 



EDMUND RUFFIN, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR. — T. W. WHITE, PRINTER. 



For the Farmers' Register. 

 CONCISE DIRECTIONS FOR THE CULTIVATION 

 AND MANAGEMENT OF TOBACCO. 



/. Raising Plants. 



The land selected for the plant bed slsoiild be 

 grubbed, and the stumps of Iarp;e trees cut very 

 low. When tlie land is dry, and in (it condition to 

 burn, it should he raked, and all litter carefully re- 

 moved. The fires should then be raised in the 

 usual way, and after they have been properly 

 kindled, should remain on the spot about one hour, 

 and then be removed; continuin<i:; the operation in 

 the same manner, until the wliole bed is burnt. 

 The bed is then broken up with hoes, and some- 

 times with coulters drawn by horses or oxen, and 

 the work repeated until the earth is made perfectly 

 fine, being careful to avoid turning under the sur- 

 face. All the roots should then be extracted, and 

 the land laid off in beds (sliglitly elevated if dry, 

 and more if moist or wet) four feet wide. And to 

 sixteen square yards, a common pipe bowl of seed 

 is sown. The bed is then trodden or pressed with 

 hoes, and well covered with brush. Wlien th.e 

 plants have come fully out, tbey should be slightly 

 manured with strong manure made tine; this 

 should be repeated frequently, and in larger quan- 

 tity, as the plants increase in size, and are able to 

 bear it. 



//. Preparation and Planting. 

 Old land, or land that has been cultivated, after 

 it has been repeatedly ploughed and made line, is 

 thrown into horizontal beds four feet wide; and 

 when ready for planting, a hand should be selected, 

 prepared with a measure three feet long, which is 

 to be his guide in stepping off the beds. With a 

 little attenti('n, and measuring occasionally, he can 

 soon be accurate in the length of his step, which 

 should be three feet. The hoe hands follow on, and 

 at each track, or loot print, a deep and thorough 

 chopping is made, so that tlie space for the recep- 

 tion of the plant is deep and fine. The plant is 

 then inserted, and a mark descending from the 

 plant to the water furrow, is n)ade with the plant- 

 ing stick, at the time of planting. The object of 

 this mark, is to drain off the water, and prevent 

 the soil from running together and becoming hard 

 about the plant by hasty rains, which is sometimes 

 very injurious. There is some diversity of opinion, 

 whether beds as a preparation for planting are pre- 

 ferable to hills: I am decidedly in favor of beds. 

 On high land, half the amount of labor usually 

 devoted to the hill, if bestowed on the bed, will 

 make a much finer and softer situation for the 

 plant. In making hills, much labor is lost; the 

 top of the hill, after being made up, must be cut off 

 or dragged down, before planting. In preparing 

 the bed, every lick counts : all the labor is con- 

 densed, and confined to the space for the reception 

 of the plant. Beds retain moisture longer than 

 hills, being not so much exposed to the action of 

 the sun and winds, and this is of great consequence, 

 especially when the plant is drooping and weak, 

 from transplanting. 

 Vol. I.— 81 



III. Cultivation. 



It is important in the early growth of the plant 

 to plough and work deep once or twice, so that 

 when it is ripening, the ground will be broken 

 deep and fine. (The coulter is preferred for this 

 operation.) This should be effected without much 

 interference with the roots, as that would check 

 the growth, and prevent the plant from attaining 

 its proper size. And hence, the advantage of 

 greater distance between the rows, than the com- 

 mon distance of three and a half feet — because the 

 wide rows can be ploughed, and worked with less 

 damage to the roots. In this, as in all other crops, 

 if we wish a good return, "we must speed the 

 plough" and hoe, before the roots run out. On 

 our in'gh lands, we should endeavor by deep and 

 horizontal ploughing, to counteract the bad effects 

 of drought. On our flats, we should aim to pre- 

 vent the collection of water by drains discharged 

 at the lowest point. 



The bed is best for high land, because it retains 

 more moisture where it is generally needed. The 

 hill, retaining less moisture, is best for flat land, 

 where there is commonly a superabundance. 



IV. Priming and Topping. 

 The most accurate topping is performed by mea- 

 sure. The topper carries in his hand, a measure six 

 inches long, and by occasionally measuring, he can 

 regulate the j)rimingwith great accuracy — and as 

 the remaining leaves are numbered, this governs 

 the operation, and gains the object of even topping. 

 The topper should always carry this measure in 

 his hand, as it serves to prevent excuses for negli- 

 gence and uneven topping. Prime six inches, and 

 top to eight leaves. We have found by experi- 

 ence, that this is the best average height. We 

 sometimes, but seldom, vary from this general rule. 

 If the land is poorer than common, or if from the 

 backwardness of the plant, and the advanced state 

 of the season, we apprehend frost, we do not prime 

 as high ; (say four iiiches.) If we have an uncom- 

 moniy rich spot, and tliere is danger that the top 

 leaves will come to the ground, we should rise ia 

 the same proportion. The crop should be wormed 

 and suckered, at least once a week. 



V. Cutting and Housing. 

 When the crop is perfectly ripe and ready for 

 the knife, when the plants are well matured (which 

 state we cannot describe, but must leave to the ex- 

 perience and observation of the planter,) we then 

 approach the most difficult and delicate part of the 

 whole operation ; and the successful planter must 

 now be all attention. The profit of the whole farm, 

 for the year, greatly depends on the diligence and 

 skill, exercised in the lew days of cutting and cur- 

 ing. We should therefore prepare well for this 

 state of the crop, by having our barns close, our 

 carts and wagons in good order, so that the work 

 may be made as light as possible ; for this is hard 

 work, to make the best of it. To save a heavy 

 crop in the best manner, requires both energy and 

 activity. Tl)e most judicious hands should be 



