CULTURE AND CURING IN OHIO. 137 



Scattered here and there a few tobacco-houses may be seen well adapted to their purposes. The great 

 majority, however, are temporary structures, with posts set in the ground, sides more or less open, often leaning to 

 one side or to the other, and entirely out of keeping with the other buildings of the farm. Oftentimes a vacant 

 space in a stock-barn, corn-crib, or chicken-house is the only provision made by the planter for harvesting his crop; 

 and it cannot be expected that the profits, under such circumstances, will always be satisfactory. Indeed, the wonder 

 is that so much excellent tobacco should be marketed from a district where so little preparation is made for properly 

 curing and handling the crop. 



The best farmers of the seed-leaf district pay great attention to fertilizing tobacco lands, and from twenty to 

 forty loads for a two-horse wagon are frequently applied in the spring to every acre to be planted in tobacco. 

 Occasionally, but rarely, some stimulating fertilizer is applied, to give the plant a good start; and it is estimated that 

 the yield of tobacco is increased, even on lands of good fertility, fully one-third by a free use of manure. But an 

 equal profit comes from the superiority of the tobacco produced, it being much richer, tougher, and of better body. 

 It is ;i rule long established by experience that the quicker seed-leaf is grown, the soil and situation being the same, 

 the better the quality ; and in this is observed another marked contrast in growing this type and in growing the 

 heavy shipping leaf. The best qualities of the latter are made by long but healthy growth. It must stand until 

 the secretory glands have developed the globular structure of the plant to its utmost capacity, filling the vesicles 

 with gums and other proximate elements. The value of export tobacco often depends upon its strength, as it is 

 largely used for mixing with the inferior and milder kinds. The practice of fertilizing is, however, not universal. 

 Two-thirds of the number growing tobacco fertilize but little, and many not at all. The greatest amount of manure 

 is applied in Montgomery and Miami counties, where also the largest quantity of good tobacco is grown. 



It is customary in the Miami valley, where land has been freshly opened, to grow tobacco five or six years in 

 succession, and so great is the inherent fertility and strength of the soil that no perceptible difference is seen in 

 the yield for three or four years ; in fact, there is a positive improvement in the quality of leaf produced up to 

 the fourth year. Upon old lands it is generally rotated with other crops in the following order : Tobacco, wheat, 

 clover, corn, and tobacco. Clover is sometimes allowed to remain two years before the land is put in corn. 

 Tobacco rarely succeeds clover, as damage from the cut- worm is more decided after clover than after any other crop. 



PREPARATION OP LAND FOE PLANTING AND CULTIVATION OF THE TOBACCO CROP. 



Usually the land intended for tobacco is broken up the preceding fall with two horses to the depth of 8 or 10 

 inches. Manure, if used at all, is applied broadcast in the spring, when the land is rebroken, and all the tobacco 

 stalks on hand are cut up fine and placed on the land at this time, along with the other fertilizers. Sometimes the 

 manure is plowed in, and again it is put on after the second breaking and harrowed in. Should the weeds grow 

 very luxuriantly on the land intended for tobacco, or should heavy rains occur after the second breaking, it becomes 

 necessary to break a third time. 



After the last breaking, and just before the plants are large enough to set, the land is harrowed and marked 

 ff in rows, 3 or 3% feet apart. The furrows are sometimes thrown on these, making a bed, and the hills made on 

 the beds if for the larger varieties, 3 feet apart; if for the smaller varieties, 2 feet. Sometimes the hills are 

 made in the furrow, the plant, when set out, being level with the general surface of the field. In dry seasons this, 

 perhaps, is the better method, but in wet seasons it is better to have the plant elevated somewhat above the general 

 level. 



When the leaves of the plant are 3 inches long they are sufficiently large to transplant, and this generally takes 

 place from the 1st to the 20th of June. If the weather is very dry, the hills are watered artificially ; but on new 

 lands this is not necessary, as the moist condition of fresh land is generally sufficient to insure the vitality of the 

 plants, especially if the hills have been freshly made. 



The amount of cultivation which the crop receives is sufficient to keep the land mellow and clean. A cultivator, 

 a small harrow, or a double shovel is run between the rows three or four times, followed each time with the hoe, by 

 means of which a small amount of dirt is pulled up to the plant. 



No priming is done in the district, and the plant is topped in from fifty to sixty days after it is transplanted, when 

 the blossom bud appears; but some wait until it blossoms, under the impression that it will ripen sooner. From 

 twelve to eighteen leaves are left to the plant, and in a week the suckers are long enough to pull off. It is again 

 suckered just before cutting, which for the seed-leaf varieties is from two to three weeks after it is topped; but the 

 Little Dutch and the Spanish varieties improve in flavor by standing a week longer. The worming is constant, and 

 a good tobacco-raiser never ceases to hunt for the worms from the time they appear until the tobacco is safely 

 harvested in the shed. It is thought that when the seed-leaf stands toa long upon the hill it is more liable to be 

 injured by the presence of white veins, for which no satisfactory cause has yet been assigned. 



The crop is cut from the 15th of August to the 20th of September. No bad effects result from rains just before 

 cutting ; in fact, it is thought by some to be advantageous in washing off any dust that may have settled upon the 

 leaves. Heavy dews are also desired, not so much to thicken the leaves as to keep the tobacco from ripening too 



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