atmosphere. But facts are stubborn thing's. I did 

 say, and now repeat, on the authority of some of the 

 best wheat-growing farmers of Senecn, that after a 

 long course of manuring with clover alone, their 

 crops of wheat have sensibly and gradually dimin- 

 ished, both in quantity and plumpness of berry ; but 

 that when only a little barnyard manure was super- 

 added, the gain in yield and quality of wheat was 

 very perceptible. 



But Joseph Harris, Vv'ho has served under Mr. 

 Lawes, the greatest experimental farmer in England, 

 will not probably be in the least jostled from his 

 position by this discourteous charge of introducing 

 " exploded transatlantic dogmas." I have no spleen 

 to indulge against "' Anti Humbug." He holds a 

 well practiced pen and may yet arrive at an experi- 

 ence that will teach him to be less hypercritical. 1 

 hope he will continue a contributor to the Farmer 

 and to give the results of all his experience in rural 

 economy, in which his love of truth's triumphs may 

 shine forth to the discomfiture of all ill-directed 

 spleen and preconceived error. If, in my sere and 

 yellow leaf, 1 felt an impulse to glory in my own 

 knowledge of rural economy, it would be at once 

 dissipated by the sad consciousness that our best 

 practice in growing plants,'at the present day, is still 

 encumbered with doubt and uncertainty. Farm- 

 ing is still far behind many other arts, and the idea 

 is humiliating that the present theory and practice of 

 rural economy is to be referred to by the yet unborn, 

 as belonging to a wasteful, improvident and barbar- 

 ous age. S. W.— Waterloo, J\\ Y., May, 1851. 



TOBACCO CULTURS. 



( Cuiit'mued from page 107.^ 

 I have used guano with some success. In the 

 spring of 1846 I applied 300 lbs. of African guano, 

 (at a cost of >^34.50 per ton) to the acre ; it produced 

 a fair crop of tobacco, as good as the average crop. 

 I used plaster with it, a bushel to the acre. The 

 guano was applied in misty weather, ploughed in, 

 the land prepared, and planted. In the fall I sowed 

 the land in wheat, — the crop was quite a satisfactory 

 one. In the spring of '47 I seeded clover on the 

 wheat, — it took remakably well, and in '48 I had a 

 fine crop of clover on the land. In the spring of '49 

 it was prepared for corn, and the crop on it at this time 

 shows the most deciaea effects of improvement. I am 

 therefore of opinion, that guano may be used to ad- 

 vantage as an improver for the growth of tobacco, as 

 well as wheat, and corn crops, h,c. 



The opinion is very prevalent that the effects of 

 guano after the first crop is scarcely perceptible, and 

 not at all to be relied upon. This arises from the 

 fact that so small a quantity is applied, that the first 

 crop appropriates so large a portion of its fertilizing 

 qualities, that little is left for the succeeding crops. 

 If small quantities of any other manures are applied, 

 I am inclined to think that a similar result might be 

 expected. I am sure the wisest economy in any and 

 all manures is to lay it on plentifully, as it ensures 

 good crops and permanent improvement, with judici- 

 ous management in the rotation of crops. After to- 

 bacco should follow wheat, then clover. 



It is important in the preparation of land for tobac- 

 co, that it should be well plowed, and that as early 

 as the weather will permit. The first open weather 

 in February should be availed of, to break up the to- 

 bacco land. The subsequent frosts will in a measure 



diminish the number of v/orms which cut off the 

 young plants when first set out. I have heard of salt 

 being used successfully, sown at the rate of 2 bushels 

 to the acre — I have never tried it. The other meth- 

 od I have tried and found decided benefit from.it. — 

 The land being plowed ia February should be rolled 

 down so soon as the frost is out of the ground — it 

 should be checked off with the plow that the ma- 

 nure m.ay be equally distributed. The manure should 

 not be permitted to remain on the surface, but should 

 be turned under about the depth of three inches, and 

 the land rolled down compact, and so remain until the 

 leaves of the tobacco plants become as large as a 

 dollar, or an inch and a half in length. It is then 

 time to begin getting your land ready for planting, as 

 with seasonable weather, the plants in a week or ten 

 days will be fit to set out. The land should be thor- 

 oughly plowed, raked, an 1 rolled, and reduced to a 

 fine tilth, and then laid off, if for hills, 30 inches each 

 way, to make fine tobacco, or 3 feet if it is desired to 

 make large tobacco ; if for drills, they should be about 

 three feet apart, and the plants about 20 inches apart 

 in the drill. So soon as the plants are large enough 

 to set out, (which is when tlie leaves are from 4 to 6 

 inches long) the first rain they should be transplanted, 

 the earlier the better. When the plants have taken 

 good hold on the soil, they should be weeded, which 

 is to scrape off the surrounding surface of the hill or 

 drill so as to destroy the young weeds and grass that 

 may be putting up. The land should be kept mellow 

 by the plow or cultivator until the tobacco plants 

 are nearly grown, that is, until the land is well sha- 

 ded by the plants. The hoe should be used at any 

 time grass or weeds are discovered near the plants, 

 which the plow cannot remove, and also to put dirt 

 to the roots of the plants^ where they have been kept 

 exposed, either by the plow or cultivator. The 

 preference between the plow and cultivator must be 

 determined according to the soil, season, and locality. 

 I would prefer, (all things suiting,) the use of the 

 cultivator, but in seeding the tobacco, and in wet 

 seasons, the plow is necessary. The hoe at all 

 seasons indispensable. When the tobacco begins to 

 button, or put forth the seed-head, it should be top- 

 ped ; — the plant usually indicates the point of topping, 

 having two leaves nearly the same length, at the 

 place where the top should be taken off. The num- 

 ber of leaves that should be left on the plant, depends 

 upon the time of topping, the growth of the plant, 

 and the richness of the soil, from 16 to 22 leaves are 

 the usual number ; less would make the tobacco 

 coarse, more might make the leaves short. I usually 

 top and sucker with the hand — knives might be 

 used if desired. The suckers soon make their ap- 

 pearance after topping, and when 3 or 4 inches long, 

 should be taken off, as they draw from the stock 

 juices that belong properly to the leaves. This 

 operation of suckering has to be performed as often 

 as necessary — twice is generally sufficient, though 

 sometimes 3 or 4 suckerings are required, before tlie 

 plant is ripe. 



Many are the enemies of the Tobacco plant ; the 

 fly attacks it in the bed, and sometimes sucks out its 

 juices after it is set out, and it perishes. The ground 

 worm sometimes in armies attack the beds and blight 

 the hope of the planter by a total destruction of his 

 plants ; and when set out, they are ready deposited 

 in the soil, to commence their work of destruction. 

 Freed from all the above enumerated pests, the no- 

 vice would suppose his prospects bright for a crop ; 



I 



