2 



THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



twig broom to take out the coals. In this opera- 

 tion some of the ashes will be removed, but that 

 is of no consequence — it should then be broken 

 np about two inches deep with grubbing hoes, in 

 which operation, and in repeated choppings af- 

 terwards with hilling hoes, all roots will be cut 

 and finally got out with a fine iron tooth rake 

 which will leave the ground in proper order to 

 receive the seed. 



The most approved time for sowing is about 

 the first of February, the beds previously being 

 suffered to lie and mellow by the frost and snows 

 to that time. But it will do very well to burn 

 and sow after that time, as late as the first of 

 March, taking care not to have the heat so 

 great. The quantity of seed is as much as can 

 be taken up in a common table spoon* for one 

 hundred square yards, and in that, proportion. 

 This quantity of seed should be mixed with 

 about one gallon of clean ashes, and half that 

 quantity of plaster of paris, and the whole well 

 incorporated, and then strewed uniformly over 

 the bed at two operations, crossing at right an- 

 gles to ensure regularity. Cabbage seed for 

 early planting, tomato, celeiw, and lettuce seed 

 may be sowed in small quantities with the to- 

 bacco seed, without material injury to the growth 

 of i he plants. After sowing the seed the ground 

 is immediately trodden over closely with the feet, 

 and covered thick with naked brush. If the 

 frost is severe from this time it is common to 

 take off the brush some time in the month of 

 March, before the plants appear, and tread the 

 bed again, and at. the same time give the ground 

 a slight dressing of manure. The dung of fowls 

 of all sorts, is sought after for this purpose, 

 which being beaten, is sifted over the bed through 

 a coarse basket or riddle. The brush is then 

 restored, and not finally removed until the leaves 

 of the plants are about an inch in diameter; 

 when the dressing of manure is again applied, 

 taking care to wait the approach of rain for that 

 purpose. Any grass or weeds that may have 

 sprung up in ihe mean time are carefully picked 

 out. In dry seasons, if the situation admits of 

 it, the bed must be irrigated by training a small 

 stream of water around the edge of it. If not, 

 it should be watered every evening with a com- 

 mon watering pot, or pine bushes dipped in wa- 

 ter and shook over the bed until sufficient mois- 

 ture is obtained. 



Under a careful observance of this manage- 

 ment, the plants according as the seasons have 

 been favorable or not, will be fit to transplant 

 from the 15th of May to the 10th of June. A 



* This quantity of plant bed is generally considered 

 tinder good circumstances as sufficient to set ten thou- 

 sand hills in good time. But the prudent planter 

 taking into consideration the casualties of fly, drought, 

 &c. will do well to make a larger allowance. We 

 know of no certain remedy or antidote against the 

 fly Avhich destroys the early plants. 



planter thinks himself lucky if he can get his 

 crop pitched by the 10th of June. After that, 

 the seasons are uncertain fiom the heat of the 

 weather, and the chances of success for a crop 

 are precarious ; though it has been known to 

 succeed when planted the middle of July. 



Of the Preparation of the Land, and Cultivation 

 of the Crop. 



The best tobacco is made upon, new or fresh 

 land. It is rare to make more than three suc- 

 cessive crops upon the same ground, of which 

 the second is the best, the first and third being 

 about equal. But it is more common to make 

 only two. The new land, after all the timber 

 and brush is removed, and the surface very 

 cleanly raked, is twice closely coultered, as deep 

 as two horses or oxen can pull. After this, 

 hands with grubbing hoes pass regularly over 

 the whole ground, and take up all the loose 

 roots that have been broken by the coulter which 

 are heaped and burned, or removed. One and 

 sometimes two more coulterings are then given, 

 and the same operation repeated with the grub- 

 bing hoes, which leaves the land in proper order 

 to be hilled — this is universally done in straight 

 rows at the distance of three and a half feet 

 opart, giving the same distance as near as the 

 eye will permit the other way — in fresh land, 

 that is to say, for the second and third crop, the 

 line of the original row, and even the locality of 

 each hill should be preserved. After passing 

 the coulter two or three times between each 

 row, the hills should be made in the same place, 

 the remains of the stalk and roots of the old 

 plant being first removed. It is supposed, from 

 the excess of nitrous particles contained in to- 

 bacco, above any other plant, that the partial 

 decomposition of this stubble during ihe winter, 

 imparls a degree of fertility to the spot which 

 should not be lost by the diffusion and exposure 

 of a general ploughing. It is most advisable 

 too, that the hilling of new and fresh land, 

 should be done as early in the spring as possible, 

 say three or four weeks before planting. This 

 affords time for the hill to settle to a proper con- 

 sistence, and presents a more extended surface 

 to be acted on by atmospheric influence, which 

 perhaps is greater in the spring months than at 

 any other season of the year. 



On the bottom land of our rivers there are 

 extensive alluvial flats, that bear successive crops 

 of tobacco for man}' years, and some planters 

 resort to highly manured spots conveniently si- 

 tuated upon high land. But in general it is 

 considered bad economy to manure land for to- 

 bacco, both because the quantity required for 

 that crop is greater than for any other, and be- 

 cause the quality of the product, as well as that 

 made on low grounds, is coarser in fibre and less 

 marketable. The preparation of such land, how- 

 ever, is the same as that of new ground, except 



