CULTIVATION OF TOBACCO. 293 



of suckers about the crown, so as to leave the plant with its main stalks. Set the plants in 

 the middle of the trench, in a single row, at the distance of six inches apart. Water the plants 

 thoroughly. When they have attained a good size, earth them up, but prevent the dirt from 

 getting between the stalks. Continue to earth up and water the plants, if the weather is dry, 

 till November, when the plants will be large, fine, tender and crisp. If the fly attacks the plant 

 remove all the injured leaves, and apply lime, by sprinkling it over them in the morning. 



CULTIVATION OF TOBACCO. 



The best of tobacco lands are those which are newly reclaimed from the forest. It is in these 

 virgin soils that the alkalies, and particularly potash, exist, and which are capable of furnishing 

 the requisite amount to impart the desirable properties, whatever they may be. It appears, in 

 the case of tobacco, that it may obtain soda and lime, which become a substitute for potash ; 

 but its properties, in these substitutions, are quite inferior to the plant where it contains a cer- 

 tain amount of the latter : it is tobacco still, and perhaps it could not be distinguished, except 

 by epicures ; yet the fact is an important one to be borne in mind, that substitution may always 

 give us inferior products, as in this particular case, and it is a fact which applies particularly to 

 the coloring matters, which are more or less dependent upon the alkalies, one or the other, for 

 some of their better and enduring characters. It is well known that most of the tobacco which 

 has supplied this country has been raised in Maryland and Virginia, still tobacco of a good 

 quality may be raised in the New-England States, New- York and Ohio. The expediency of 

 cultivating it is another question, of which I have nothing to say. The tobacco of Connecticut 

 is said to be better for segars than that of Virginia, and hence this branch of business has been 

 entered upon with considerable spirit, in several towns upon the Connecticut river. It is, 

 however, to be seen whether this crop is to prove a source of profit, ultimately. It is an 

 expensive and exhausting crop for the soil to sustain ; it takes at least from 170 to 200 pounds 

 of mineral substances from an acre, and these are the most difficult and costly to be replaced, 

 particularly potash. 



Herting gives the following as the composition of Havana tobacco : 



Salts of potash, 34-18 



Salts of lime, 51-38 



Phosphates, 9-04 



Magnesia, 4-09 



It is evident that a rich soil is demanded : it should be well mixed with vegetable or or- 

 ganic matter. In the case of tobacco, nothing is returned to the soil : wheat, oats and corn 

 give back their straw, but tobacco goes to a distant market. For the cultivation of tobacco 

 for segars, it appears from the experience of those engaged in the business, that the seed 

 should be imported from Havana ; that it should be renewed every two years, if the peculiar 

 flavor of the Havana segar is to be preserved. Tobacco is first sown in beds, and afterwards 

 transplanted to the field, which last operation should be performed before the first of August, 



