18 



now TO RAISE TOBACCO. 



down a little, and finish by tucking the end into the 

 hand. Next after, take the same plants and open 

 each leaf, and strip all imperfect for the second 

 quality. Lastly, strip the remaining perfect leaves, 

 keeping each sort by itself, and being very particular 

 to keep the ends of the stems even, also the leaves 

 which are of a length in the same hand, especially of 

 the best sort. An imperfect leaf will do as well as 

 any to bind the hands with, and will be a saving ; be 

 sure and do this part very neatly ; for if bunglingly 

 done, the nicest tobacco will show very poorly, where- 

 as, a smaller growth well done will show to better 

 advantage, and perhaps outsell the larger growth. 



Packing. — After having stripped, it is best to pack it 

 down properly each day it is done, in some place secure 

 from drying winds, or from wet, or any thing from which 

 moisture may be absorbed. Pack it buts out with 

 the tips in, and lapping about one third the length, 

 'laying one row of buts one way, then another in the 

 ' opposite, keeping them straight and even, to prevent 

 the air from drying it ; press it down by standing on 

 .it on your knees while packing, and finish off by cover- 

 ing it closely with either blankets or boards, and on top 

 put weights to press it down as compact as possible. 

 It is now ready for inspection by the tobacco-dealer, 

 and unless you wish to case it yourself, it will remain 

 in this situation perfectly safe. If sold to a specula- 

 tor, he would probably prefer to case it himself, 

 shovild it be necessary for you to remove it. Having 

 once packed it in a pile, you can pack it on a wagon 

 having sideboards, keeping the buts outside at the 

 ends and covering up closely. Be careful to keep the 

 leaves straight, to prevent wrinkles, which make it 

 look very bad. If you are desirous of casing the 



tobacco yourself, procure cases made of one-inch 

 boards, planed on one side, of the following dimen- 

 sions : three and a half feet long, and two and a half 

 feet the other way ; these any joiner can make, or if yon 

 have the tools, make them yourself. Procure four 

 cleats two and a half feet long, one inch thick, and 

 three wide ; to these nail the ends, which are to be two 

 and a half feet long ; on these ends nail the sides ; turn 

 the box down and nail on the bottom ; let it come out 

 flush with the sides, and it will be two and eight 

 twelfths feet wide ; turn the other side up and fit the 

 cover ; this need be merely tacked on so as to be 

 easily removed when wished. You now have a box 

 into which you can press three hundred weight of 

 tobacco. To pack it properly, have one to hand it, 

 while another packs it in the case, the buts against 

 each end of the case, letting the tips lap in the middle ; 

 fill about three fourths the way to the top ; have a fol- 

 lower to fit the size of your box, made by nailing 

 boards to two good, stout cleats, one near each end. 

 Put this follower on with good blocking above ; press it 

 by a lever twelve or more feet long, having a fulcrum 

 at the short arm, and the force of two men on the 

 long arm of the lever ; by filling and pressing in this 

 way about three times, you may get in three hundred 

 pounds, which is enough to handle conveniently. 



I have thus given a precise account of the practice 

 of the most experienced a^d successful growers of the 

 crop in the State of Connecticut. I might also hero 

 remark that this experience and observation has ex- 

 tended over a period of neai'ly thirty years from the 

 time I was a small lad, when the tobacco was sold here 

 at three or four cents a pound. It is now selling as high 

 as thirty for the first quality. 



m. V.-BY OLIVER T. BISHOP, HAHTFORD COUNTY, CONN. 



Tobacco has been raised in the valley of the Con- 

 necticut for more than twenty-five years, and has gra- 

 dually spread in extent, until it has become one of the 

 " staples," especially in Connecticut and Massachusetts. 

 Its culture will demand the almost constant attention 

 of the cultivator, from the time of sowing the seed 

 until it is carried to market. 



Seed-Bed. — As soon as the frost is out of the 

 ground, and the land is sufficiently dry to allow of the 

 working of the soil, which, in this latitude, is general- 

 ly from the first to the fifteenth of April, the seed 

 may be sown. The bed should be in some warm lo- 

 cality, and near water, if convenient, in order to facili- 

 tate watering the plants ; this, however, is immaterial. 

 A good plan is, to manure the spot well and plow it 

 in the fall, and if removed from buildings, pile on, in 

 the spring, a heap of brush, burn it, and rake in the 

 ashes with the soil ; remove all stones and sticks, and 

 pulverize the soil thoroughly. The next day it will be 

 ready for sowing, giving the ground time to cool, so as 

 not to burn the seed. If very early in the season. 



the seed may be so^vn dry, by mixing it with plaster, in 

 order that it may be more evenly distributed. Later in 

 the season, the seed should be spi'outed by mixing it 

 with some fine mould, or decayed wood, such as is 

 found in old, hollow apple-trees, and placing it near 

 the stove or warm place, keeping it moist ; let it 

 remain four or five days, or until you can see that it 

 has just sprouted. Then sow it, using at the rate of 

 a thimbleful of seed for each square rod of the bed. 

 Do not cover the seed, but simply pat down the bed 

 with a shovel or board, and cover it over with some 

 brush to keep off hens, etc. When the seed is sprout- 

 ed it will generally come up in a week, sometimes 

 sooner, and may be known by having two very small, 

 nearly round leaves. After the plants are up, sow on a 

 little plaster occasionally. Keep the plants free from 

 weeds, and thin them out where too thick. If it 

 should be dry weather, the plants should be watered 

 every night, using a common watering-pot ; a weak 

 solution of guano occasionally will stimulate them. 

 The ground should not be allowed to get dry, as the 



