EXPERIENCE OF PKACTICAL GEOWEPvS. 



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used, my method is this : take a horse-plow and mark 

 out the rows, three feet four inches apart, making a 

 sliallow furrow, say two inches deep ; scatter the ma- 

 nure, if guano, two hundred pounds to the acre — if 

 superphosphate of Hme, three hundred and fifty pounds 

 per acre — evenly the whole length of the furrows ; 

 then make the hills with a hoe, from two feet to two 

 feet six inches apart, raising them somewhat above 

 the level of the ground, at the same time covering the 

 intei'vening part of the furrow. The object of thus 

 scattering the fertilizer, instead of dropping it all im- 

 mediately in the hill, is this, that the roots, reaching 

 it gradually, its effects will be felt throughout the 

 whole season ; whereas, if it is all dropped in the hill, 

 its power would soon be spent. I am aware that some 

 practice and recommend ridging ground before plant- 

 ing out, but I consider the above practice better for 

 this reason : where the ground is thrown into ridges 

 beforehand, a plow can not be used in the after-culti- 

 vation, or it will leave the ridges too high ; conse- 

 quently the cultivation must all be done with the hoe, 

 which, I believe, is the practice of those who ridge. 

 On the other hand, a light plowing at each hoeing 

 greatly reduces the labor, and also raises the ridges 

 to a sufficient bight. All this preparation should be 

 accomplished just before the plants attain sufficient 

 size, that there may be no hindrances, and all hands 

 may be engaged in 



Planting Out. — When wet, lowery weather comes, 

 from the first to the middle of June, take the plants 

 carefully from the beds with a garden-trowel, digging 

 deep enough to secure all the roots, and transfer them 

 carefully to the field. In planting them, see that 

 every man puts the roots well into the ground, and 

 leaves a little disk around each plant, to hold a 

 half-pmt of water, in case dry, hot weather follows. 

 In many seasons we do not get the wet weather, but 

 it is not best to delay later than the twelfth or fifteenth 

 of June. One wagon or cart-load of burdock leaves, 

 or brakes, will nearly cover the plants upon an acre, 

 and I have often thought that plants put out in dry, 

 hot weather, watered and lightly covered from the sun 

 for a few days, started to grow sooner and better than 

 those set out in wet weather, and not covered. When 

 the field is once planted, it needs but little care for a 

 while, unless the black corn-worm attacks it ; in that 

 case — and they are too plenty — it is best to catch 

 them off, and often reset, or fill out the field, that the 

 plants may start as near alike, and the field be as even 

 as possible. It should be hoed as often as necessary, 

 until all weeds are thoroughly subdued. 



WoKMS. — The tobacco-worm usually makes its ap- 

 pearance about the first of August. Our tobacco being 

 raised for wrappers to segars, the necessity for keep- 

 ing the leaves as sound as possible, is at once seen ; 

 for no matter of how fine a texture a leaf may be, if 

 badly eaten by the worms, it must go into the lower 

 grades, and sell for a small price. After the worms 

 3 



make their appearance, the tobacco should be gone 

 through, as often as twice a week, and the worms de- 

 stroyed, large and small. 



Topping. — The top or seed-bud, will generally make 

 its appearance from the first to the tenth of August ; 

 as soon as developed enough to be got hold of conve- 

 niently, it must be pinched off. The exact point for 

 topping, must be determined to a great extent by the 

 cultivator. Some fields of tobacco will mature a plant 

 of eighteen leaves, while others will not more than 

 twelve ; depending upon how forward the crop is, and 

 the strength of the ground. The above numbers are 

 the two extremes, from fourteen to sixteen leaves are 

 usually left to the stalk when topped from first to 

 fourth of August, from the fifth to the tenth, leave 

 from twelve to fourteen. 



Suckers. — After the top is taken off, the suckers 

 will start, one from the base of each leaf, those at the 

 top making their appearance first, then downwards in 

 succession. These must be taken off as fast as they 

 get large enough to be got hold of, otherwise a great 

 amount of growth is lost, and consequently the ma- 

 turity of the plant retarded. As the plant approaches 

 maturity, great care should be exercised in going 

 through, and handling, as the leaves are daily grow- 

 ing brittle, and are liable to be broken off and torn by 

 careless hands. Turn back to their natural position 

 all leaves turned up by the wind, or the sun shining 

 upon the under side of the leaf, will soon burn it, and 

 very seriously injure the color. 



Harvesting the Crop. — This is an important sea- 

 san, and generally commences about the first of Sep- 

 tember. Before cutting any, see that the drying-sheds 

 are fully prepared with poles and scaffolds ; the twine 

 examined for rotten places, etc. The best convenience 

 for transporting it from the field to the shed, is the 

 simplest. If a cart is to be used, remove the body, 

 and with two poles, construct one without sides, only 

 bottom and ends. If horses are to be used, use 

 trucks, the wheels of which will be entirely out of 

 the way. With either of these, the plants can be 

 loaded crosswise with the butts out, and tips lapping 

 in the middle ; being careful in loading to lay a tier 

 across one side, then the other, regularly, that it may 

 be taken off without any pulling or tearing of the 

 leaves. In this way four or five hundred plants may 

 be carried at a load. 



A very little experience will teach one to determine 

 the proper time for cutting. When about ripe, the 

 color changes from a dark green to a spotted appear- 

 ance ; the under side of the leaf, when pinched be- 

 tween the thumb and finger, will crack ; the suckers 

 commence to put out, below the bottom leaves, and 

 the plant presents an entirely different appearance 

 from what it previously did. There is decidedly less 

 danger of tobacco getting too ri^K than there is of its 

 being cut too soon ; many a crop being seriously in- 

 , jured by being harvested before perfectly mature. 



