THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



333 



accident should destroy the first sowing. Some 

 persons have standing beds in locations particu- 

 larly favorable, but from my experience I cannot 

 recommend them. Should it be necessary, how- 

 ever, after the first year, the bed should be scraped 

 over with the hoes and covered several inches deep 

 with wheat straw or leaves (as soon as the plants 

 are drawn from it) lightly burnt in the winter and 

 similarly managed with those above spoken of. 

 As to the use of guano, it may answer well, but 

 stable manure succeeds well, and I think well 

 enough should answer. As soon as the danger of 

 frost is over the beds are uncovered, and from this 

 time until time for planting, they should be closely 

 attended to, for I know by close and persevering 

 attention I have had most unpromising beds 

 turn out well. If there should be any grass or 

 weeds they should be gotten rid of, and from time 

 to time repeatedly they should be well manured 

 with stable manure and old ashes mixed, the for- 

 mer prepared as for plant beds, and occasionally a 

 dressing of plaster if the weather is dry will be all 

 I can recommend. As to the fly, our worst enemy, 

 I have no remedy to offer against them, save the 

 preparation of our beds in such manner by manu- 

 ring, and the subsequent attention, as to force the 

 growth of the plants so rapidly that the fly can 

 only destroy a part at most. Should a failure, 

 after due care and attention, seem certain, recourse 

 should be had to the hot-bed system recommended 

 some time since in the Planter. 



I come now to the second part of my subject, 

 viz: the preparation of land, planting and cultiva- 

 tion. Fresh land seems peculiarly adapted to the 

 tobacco crop, but there is now so little to clear in 

 Virginia I shall only speak of old land, taking it 

 for granted that the newly cleared land will be 

 well coultered and put in as good order as possible. 

 The tobacco crop requires a rich soil, needs but 

 little rain, and is a precarious crop in low, wet, 

 situations. In this portion of the state it requires 

 all the manure that is raised on the plantation. 

 The land intended for tobacco, whether an old lot, 

 or one to be made, should be broken up with a 

 two-horse plough early in the winter. In addition 

 to the freezes, and better pulverization, I think a 

 number of insects are thereby destroyed. As to 

 the raising and management of manure, it is not 

 necessary to speak, as that is a subject of itself, 

 ably treated of by many of your correspondents. 

 I must remark, however, that I think the manure 

 is generally applied too late. It is generally coarse, 

 prepared with but little care, and not under cover. 

 Hence, a valuable portion is lost, and the remainder 

 is far from being in a suitable condition for the 

 nourishment of young plants. If composted some 

 weeks before use, or ploughed early in the land, 

 (virtually composting it in the soil,) it will then be 

 ready to give the plant, when it most needs it, an 

 early and vigorous start. When applied late, it re- 

 quires time for it to be in a condition to be appro- 

 priated, and the young plant suffers at the most 

 critical time, and seldom recovers. Should there 

 be a deficiency of manure, guano should be ap- 

 plied in ample quantity to supply what is wanting: 

 Indeed, from the quality of manure generally 

 made, the addition of a little guano may be profita- 

 bly made. I have seen most marked effect from a 

 small quantity applied on land after the farm-yard 

 manure had been ploughed in, and do not hesitate 

 to recommend its use in that manner. I have no 

 doubt it gives the tobacco a good start, and keeps 

 it in a growing state until the farm-yard manure 



is ready to be] taken up. As to the artificial 

 grasses, I believe herdsgrass is the best preparation, 

 and clover with us has not succeeded, being hard 

 to get a stand often, and it seems to generate 

 the cut-worm. From the analysis of the pea, it 

 containing a large amount of potash, I am disposed 

 to think our lots might be kept up with a good 

 fallow of them and a little guano. I am now try- 

 ing the experiment. I shall have two lots, and 

 plant one in tobacco and sow one in wheat ; after 

 cutting the wheat sow in peas and fallow for to- 

 bacco, and follow the tobacco with wheat, thus 

 raising a remunerating crop from each lot every 

 year. Having digressed a little too far, I return 

 again to the preparation of the land. Having 

 ploughed the land, it is well to harrow once or 

 twice during the winter. The latter part of Feb- 

 ruary, plough in the farm-yard manure with single 

 mould-board ploughs. In April, when the land is 

 in good order, that is, moist enough for a season in 

 the hill, if guano is used, sow it on the land and 

 with the same single ploughs, bed the land, laying 

 off the bed three feet three inches. If the land 

 will admit of it, I should lay it off both ways by 

 simply crossing the beds with a trowel hoe the 

 same distance of the beds. The land is now hilled, 

 and care should be taken to have large", full hills, 

 applying all the loam to the hill. The first season 

 after the 10th of May commence planting, though 

 it will be good time any season in May, or up to 

 10th of June, while I should never, if I had plants, 

 wait for the old fogie's notion and not plant until 

 25th of May or 1st of June. Having a season, or 

 if the plants are large enough and a season in the 

 hill when made, the plants should be drawn by the 

 most trusty hands, while the others cut off the hills 

 and clap them in the centre with the hoes, the plants 

 being drawn, are dropped byafew hands, while oth- 

 ers follow with pegs and plant them. It is very 

 important to guard against a common error, plant- 

 ing too deep ; only bury the roots of the plant, 

 and press the dirt closely to them, but do notbujy 

 the bud. Should the seasons be difficult for plant- 

 ing, or, as is the case sometimes, should it be ne- 

 cessary, to water and plant. I know no method as 

 likely to insure every plant, as covering with a 

 handful of wheat chaff. It will be necessary to 

 replant every season until late, to secure a good 

 stand. The cut-worm is the first enemy we have 

 to contend with. The best plan is to go over a 

 portion of the crop early every morning and kill 

 them while above ground. The cultivation of the 

 crop will in some measure depend upon the seasons, 

 and the judgment of the planter must decide the 

 necessary changes from any established method. 

 As soon as convenient, say in a week or ten days 

 after planting, the hills should be scraped down. 

 A crust is generally formed around the plant, ex- 

 cluding the air from the roots of the plant which 

 this slight working removes, and any young grass 

 is also destroyed. The next working should be 

 more thorough, and should be given as soon as the 

 plant has started to grow, with the single-horse 

 Dagon run as close as possible to the plant, throw- 

 ing off one-third of the hill, lapping the dirt be- 

 tween the rows, then throw back to the plant with 

 the same, and follow with the hoes, giving a good 

 hill. I think it highly important to have the hills 

 large, and all the loose dirt drawn up on the hill. 

 Large hills, with clean furrows between the rows of 

 tobacco, will allow all superfluous water to sink or 

 run off, so as not to injure the tobacco. From ten to 

 fifteen days after this working, it will be necessary 



