EXPERIENCE OF PRACTICAL GROWERS. 



11 



it must be considered whether the after-cultivation is 

 to be done entirely by human labor, or partly by horse- 

 power. The farthest distance for Maryland, Virginia, 

 and Connecticut, is with the rows four feet, and the 

 plants three feet in the row ; for Cuba, the rows three 

 feet, and the plants two feet. In Central Illinois, we 

 do best by making the rows three and a half feet, and 

 the plants three feet apart in the rows for the first 

 three varieties — so we get seven thousand Cuba, and 

 four thousand two hundred plants of the other kinds, 

 on the acre. 



It is handy in large plantations, and even necessary, 

 when the work is to be done with horse-power, to 

 have a wagon-road around the field and through the 

 center, this makes the work at harvest-time much 

 easier. 



When the rows are made and the plants are large 

 enough, then the planter must watch for a mild rain 

 and one or two cloudy days. If the weather is favor- 

 able, he must lose no time, but go to work with all 

 the hands at his disposal. Notwithstanding the hurry, 

 every thing must be done methodically and in proper 

 order ; for all carelessness in transplanting tobacco is 

 severely punished by the necessity of renewing plants 

 that don't grow, and up to its maturity the same care 

 must be observed, even in selling the yield. The 

 seed-bed is thoroughly wetted, so that the roots will 

 not be hurt while pulling up the plants, and the earth 

 not disturbed around remaining ones. The largest 

 plants are taken out at first, and only as many as can 

 be planted in Jialf a day. As soon as taken up they 

 are tied in bundles of one hundred, laid in a basket 

 and covered. They are inserted, not deeper than they 

 stood in the bed, in a hole, made with the fingers or 

 with a trowel, and the soil then squeezed around the 

 plant again. This work is continued the whole day, in 

 cloudy weather, until completed. But if there is no 

 rain and no cloudy days, and the transplanting can not 

 be postponed any longer, then the grower must water 

 the plants at transplanting, and cover them immedi- 

 ately after. This requires the additional help of three 

 workmen, namely, one who waters, one that puts dry 

 earth around the watered plant, so that no lumps will 

 foi'm there, and the third to cover the plants. Trans- 

 planting under these circumstances can only be done 

 mornings and evenings, and should even be done only 

 towards evening. K the weather has been cloudy at 

 the time of transplanting, and hot weather sets in the 

 next or the second day, then also the plants must be cov- 

 ered. Covering is done with light, dry leaves or straw. 

 After the transplanting is done, care must always be 

 taken that the plants, until they are rooted, are not 

 suffering from moisture, and it may be necessary that 

 they be watered a second time. Dead or weak plants 

 must be removed and replaced by healthy ones. 



4. Work until Harvesting. — This work is done 

 partly for the benefit of the soil and for that of the 

 plants themselves. The working of the soil is for 



keeping it open to the influences of the atmosphere 

 and to destroy the weeds, and will forward the growth 

 of the plant, for expei-ience has proved that only soil 

 that is open and free of weeds will secure the full de- 

 velopment of the plants. Loosening and stirring the 

 soil from time to time is therefore not only beneficial, 

 but necessary, especially when the soil is hardened by 

 heavy rains, or a crust has formed through other influ- 

 ences, or when weeds appear. For the first loosening, 

 which should be done shortly after the plants have 

 rooted, a furrow-harrow, a one-horse harrow with teeth 

 slanting forward and the cross-beams so arranged that 

 they can be set two to three and a half feet apart, is 

 the best implement ; for the second and third, the cul- 

 tivator, or if the soil gets hardened below the surface, 

 or when many weeds are in their way, the common 

 corn-plow should be used. This is the working be- 

 tween the rows. In the rows between the plants, 

 where the working is even more important, it must be 

 done with the hand-hoe. Care must always be taken 

 not to damage the roots, and at the second and espe- 

 cially at the third hoeing, the soil must be drawn to- 

 ward the plants, partly to protect them against storms 

 and give them a stronger hold, and partly to absorb 

 excessive moisture. 



The soil must never be worked while wet. Where 

 help is plenty, it is better to dispense with all horse- 

 work ; the plants can be put closer together, a larger 

 crop is gained, less damage is done to the plants, 

 and in closing up the account the cultivator, with hu- 

 man labor, will not be the loser. The working of the 

 soil, it will be seen, is not what makes the tobacco 

 culture so laborious and expensive. It is the care of 

 the plants, of which I shall now speak. 



From the first starting of the tobacco plant, it has its 

 enemies. First appears a cut-worm that works in the 

 soil and eats the roots off. Then comes a little cater- 

 pillar which enjoys itself on the young leaves, and 

 lastly the beautiful and large tobacco-worm, which eats 

 into the leaf, and in a short time leaves nothing but 

 the leaf-stems and stalk. The only remedies against 

 these enemies are the vigilance and industry of the 

 planter — looking after them, digging up, picking, and 

 destroying once or twice a day, or often as there are 

 any traces of them. Children, to whom premiums are 

 offered, will be very successful in destroying them. 

 (Premiums are a very good thing all over, and arc the 

 reason why this treatise is written.) A herd of turkeys, 

 if given access to the tobacco-field, are a very valuable 

 help. A negro from South-Carolina told me a few^ 

 days ago, that a solution of blue vitriol in water, 

 sprinkled over the plants, will kill the worms. The 

 remedy may be worth trying. Of course the solution 

 must be made weak enough, so that it will not destroy 

 the plants as well as the worms. 



Priming. — The object of priming is to break off the 

 leaves that come out too near the ground, which when 

 large lie flat on it, and therefore rot or get dirty. 



