34 



HOW TO RAISE TOBACCO. 



packed in a separate pile or on top, or at the ends of 

 the wrappers. It is now ready for market. If it 

 should remain long in pile it should be examined oc- 

 casionally to see that it does not hurt, as it sometimes 

 happens that when taken down, stripped and packed 

 when it is too damp, it will grow damper and perhaps 

 ot. If too damp, it should be repacked on some 

 windy day to give it an airing, shaking out the damp- 

 est hands and letting them remain exposed till suffi- 

 ciently dry to be repacked. The stalks, after being 

 stripped, should either be spread on grass land and 

 remain till spring, when they may be raked up and 

 carted on to the land designed for the next crop of 

 tobacco, and burnt, or let them remain in the barn till 

 spring, when they may be cut up fine and dropped 

 into potato or corn-hills, using a good-sized handful 

 to each hill. 



I have raised the past season on a little more than 

 three fourths of an acre one thousand four hundred and 

 twenty-seven pounds wrappers, worth at the present 



time twenty-five cents ; two hundred and twenty-en* 

 pounds seconds, worth twelve cents ; and "ae hundred 

 and forty-six pounds filk-i-s, worth ten cents ; amount- 

 ing to one thousand seven hundred and ninety-four 

 pounds, worth three hundred and ninety-seven dollar* 

 and eighty-seven cents. 

 Cost of raising an acre of tobacco : 



Interest on land, $12 0? 



60 loads manure at $1, one half is, 30 00 



Plowing twice and spreading manure, 



Making hills, 



6000 plants, at 50 cents, 



Setting out plants, 



Hoeing three times, 



3 00 



1 00 

 8 00 



2 00 

 5 00 



Worming, topping, and suckering, 10 00 



Cutting and hanging, 10 00 



Stripping, 10 90 



Hauling to market, etc., 400 



$90 00 



No. VI-BY A. S. THOMAS, HIGHLAND COUNTY, OHIO. 



I WAS raised in one of the best tobacco-growing 

 districts in Eastern Virginia, and was familiar with 

 every step in its production for twenty-four years. I 

 moved to this State in the fall of 1844, and have 

 raised more or less of it ever since. Therefore, I 

 ought be competent to give the " practical informa- 

 tion" desired. 



THK SEED. In Virginia there were as many varieties 

 of tobacco-seed as of corn or wheat. I will name a 

 few: The "Big Frederick," the "Little Frederick," 

 the "Blue Stalk," the "Brittle Stem," the "Big 

 Orinoco," the "Little Orinoco," and half a dozen 

 others, each having, or supposed to have, some charac- 

 teristic distinguishing it from all the others. But the 

 " Brittle Stem " and the " Orinocos " were the varie- 

 ties mostly cultivated, the former for its early maturi- 

 ty, the latter for its comparative heaviness. There 

 are several varieties, also, in this vicinity, such as the 

 "Brittle Stem," the "Graham Tobacco," and the 

 " Cuban," but the names convey little certain informa- 

 tion, as the same varieties bear different names iu 

 different localities. But some varieties are evidently 

 to be preferred to others one, noted for early matu- 

 rity, all things else equal, is preferable to another that 

 ripens late. One, distinguished for fineness of texture, 

 all things else equal, is better than another of coarser 

 fiber, etc. Upon the whole, the surest and most profit- 

 able variety is that which ripens earliest, and yields 

 the largest number of pounds, cured, to a given num- 

 ber of hills planted. 



SOWING. In Virginia this was done in the first fa- 

 vorable weather in February, and I have done so here 

 up to the las' yeai. But, hereafter, I shall sow as 

 eoon as convenient after the seed is ripe. I was led 



to this conclusion by this fact : two years I saw mil- 

 lions of plants coming up ander the seed-stalks of the 

 previous year; the seeds had fallen to the ground, sur- 

 vived the winter, and were more forward than that 

 sowed in Februar; in prepared beds. 



SEED-BED. It should be moist, or convemoit to 

 water, as it may require watering in dry weather. It 

 should have an open, southern aspect. It should be 

 burned sufficiently to kill the seeds of ftM weeds and 

 wild grasses, for if not then killed they w'll come on 

 before the tobacco-plants and surely de^Hny them. 

 Hence the importance of thorough burning Having 

 burnt the ground well, rake off the coals and -vH other 

 rough and coarse materials. When cool enough, dig 

 it up fine and sow the seed. Any one that can sow 

 cabbage or turnip-seed can sow tobacco-seed. 



QUANTITY OF SEED. A table-spoonful of good SM>! 

 will sow one hundred square yards. Such a bed, uv 

 der favorable conditions, will yield ten thousand plant* 

 and so in proportion. If the bed should need watec 

 give it, and finely-pounded sheep-manure rowed ove* 

 it will greatly expedite the growth of the }>iants. I/ 

 the seeds are sowed too thick the plants wili be crowd- 

 ed, and fail to obtain the proper size, at tne right 

 time. It is evidently important to have the r^*'nts uni- 

 form in size, and as many of them as possible \>at out 

 at the first planting. Therefore, endeavor to hav 

 enough of plants in your bed or beds to have ihenu 

 all of the same size, that all may be planted oat ail 

 the first planting. When that is the case, the primmfft- 

 the lopping, and the cutting can all be done regularly. 

 But when planted at intervals of two or three week* 

 all the subsequent operations come on irreg 1 ilarly. 



With seed sown any time before the f jst of March, 



