1864.] 
AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST. 
237 
an exaggerated profile, as if a section were made 
from D, to E, fig. 1. After the water lias flow¬ 
ed down the slight incline from the top of the 
beds, (JS,) to the hollows between the beds, ((7,) it 
flows down more or less rapidly, according to 
the slope in a sort of gutter between the beds. 
This gutter is in some cases “ puddled ” with 
clay. That is, some clay is spread evenly in 
A 
er, letting not more than 10 to 12 leaves remain. 
The whole strength of the plant goes to forcing 
them to an early maturity. Soon after topping, 
the suckers begin to grow, those on the upper 
part of the plant making most rapid growth. 
When the longest are about 4 inches long, 
break them off, taking care not to hurt the leaves; 
worm at the same time—indeed the worming is 
never to be omitted nor care 
relaxed. The larger the 
leaves and the more perfect 
they are, the greater the in¬ 
jury the crop will receive 
from worms if they are neg¬ 
lected. If the weather is 
\E warm and not too dry, the 
fortnight after topping will 
show great changes in the 
character of the tobacco 
plants. The leaves will have 
attained nearly their full size; 
they will have become turgid 
1.—PLAN OP SEVERAL IRRIGATED “BEDS”—ONE OF THEM SHADED. 
the gutter, and it is pounded hard so that water 
will not percolate. These surface drains ((?,) 
discharge into a drain {F.) below the beds, which 
collects the water and conducts it off, or to 
some place where it can be used a second time. 
Thorough drainage increases the good effects 
of irrigation very much, particularly in heavy 
soils. The drains are laid under the surface 
drains (ff) and 3 feet below them, great care be¬ 
ing taken to prevent holes washing down to the 
drain. The water collected in the underdrains 
coming out usually at a lower level than the 
ditch F, may be used independently of this, or 
with it, in subsequent irrigation. 
The readers of the Agriculturist in California, 
New Mexico, and Colorado, might give those of 
the East, many useful hints in regard to the use 
Fig. 2. —PROFILE, OR SECTION OF “ BEDS, 
of water to make crops grow without rain. For 
in those countries little or no rain falls during 
a great part of the year, and gardeners depend 
upon the streams, and wells sometimes, for water 
which they guide in channels among the grain 
and other crops, as well as fruit orchards and 
vineyards. “Water meadows” are very com¬ 
mon in Germany, and are increasing very fast 
in Great Britain, while in southern France and 
Italy, there are extensive districts rendered fer¬ 
tile only by this use of water. The employment 
of brooks and other streams for this purpose is 
regulated in these countries by rigid laws, so 
that no one shall take water from a stream, 
which waters his neighbor’s ground, and not 
return it to the old channel again. 
Tobacco Culture. 
We continue our notes on the culture of to¬ 
bacco chiefly for the sake of many who are rais¬ 
ing it this year for the first time. The fields 
which have done well, are by the first of August 
beyond hoeing, and many are ready to be top¬ 
ped, while some after having been subjected to 
this operation are sprouting with “ suckers ” 
from every leaf-axil. The topping leaves 16 to 
18 leaves on the plant as a general thing, though 
in the case of late fields or single plants, when 
there is either danger of their not being fit to 
cut before frost, or at the time of the maturity 
of the rest of the crop, it is desirable to top low¬ 
and full of veins, and a good 
deal thickened up. The worm 
ing force will have to move about with great care, 
except at high noon, when the heat of the sun 
will cause a softening of the leaf and less brit¬ 
tleness. When the tobacco is fit to cut, it be¬ 
comes somewhat spotted and yellowish, usually 
the surface a little gummy, and when the dew 
is on,tlieleaves break easily if folded and pressed. 
Before tobacco is cut, the houses or “ tobacco 
sheds” in which it is to be hung for drying and 
curing, must be prepared, the system of hanging 
decided upon, and all things made ready. Sys¬ 
tems vary greatly. At the South and West it 
is usual to tie the plants together in pairs so that 
they may be hung astride of poles in the sheds. 
In Maryland and Virginia a common practice 
is to split each plant down before cutting so 
that it will straddle a pole in the same way. 
Another way is to drive nails 
or pegs slanting into the 
butts and hang the plants by 
hooking them upon frames 
or rods. Yet another meth¬ 
od is to “ spear ” the plants by passing a rod 
through the butts of as many plants as will hang 
upon it. The method practised in the Northern 
States is usually to bind the plants with a cord 
alternately upon each side of rails or bars which 
are in place in the sheds. This way has been 
described and figured in former volumes, and in 
the present volume, page 76 (March), another 
and we think better method than any “ Reader’s 
Plan,” is described and illustrated. 
Tobacco is cut in clear days after the dew is 
off, the plants being carefully handled. A man 
on his knees, lifts the leaves and severs the 
stalk with a hatchet or corn knife; a saw is 
sometimes used and preferred. The plants lie 
until wilted so that they can be handled without 
breaking and tearing. If the sun is very hot, 
half an hour’s exposure or even less will often 
burn the leaves so that many will be damaged. 
In such a case turn that which must be long 
exposed, and cart to the sheds as rapidly as pos¬ 
sible, laying plants into the vehicle so that each 
may be easily lifted without disturbing others. 
When first hung the plants should only slightly 
touch. There should be a free circulation of air 
under and above; shutters on opposite sides of 
the building are also desirable. After hanging 
a few weeks the rails may often be slipped 
closer together to make room for a later portion 
of the crop. There is danger in hanging too 
close that the plants will mould and heat, and 
in case the weather is close and damp for many 
days (such weather seldom occurs to an extent 
to damage tobacco in the Northern Stales) it it 
customary at the South and West to build fires 
in pits under the tobacco, so as to thoroughly 
change the air and check a tendency to mould. 
Stoves are better, for then the smoke is carried 
away. A platform suspended a few feet over 
the stove will tend to spread the heat that the 
plants hanging very near shall not be the only 
ones benefited. The best way is to have fixed 
flues from furnaces laid in the floor of the house, 
by which the temperature can be regulated. 
This is an ingenious contrivance, to save the 
strain of the backs, and muscles of the legs of 
persons whose labors require them to maintain 
a stooping posture, when they have frequently 
to move short distances, and hence can not take 
an ordinary stool with them. Especially is this 
adapted to relieve the nurserymen and garden¬ 
ers in some of their labors—for instance in graft¬ 
ing and budding near the ground; or setting 
out plants with which considerable pains have 
to be taken. The construction is easily seen by 
the engraving. An iron sole is firmly attached 
to the foot; upon this sole and just back of the 
heel is a socket into which fits a straight ash 
stick of convenient length, and upon the top oi 
this is a circular disk of wood which affords a 
very comfortable support to the body, taking 
the greater part of the weight entirely off the 
legs. The name “locomotive” indicates that 
the seat walks with the user. The fact, however, 
is that the user walks with the seat attached to 
his foot. It is not in the way of any common 
movements, and instead of being a temptation 
to indolence, is rather an inducement for a man 
to stick to his work, and not find an excuse to 
get up and walk off somewhere to ease his legs. 
We have suggested to the inventor its use as a 
milk-stool, and if the experience of others is 
like that of the writer, the usefulness of such a 
stool will be generally recognized. 
A worn-out surgeon, just home, from the 
Army of the Potomac, seeing one of these seats 
in the office of the Agriculturist , was so much 
pleased with it, that we urged him to take one 
back with him. The surgeons have to bend 
over the wounded men as they lie upon the 
ground or in the low “ stretchers.” They can 
rarely find room to place stools if they had 
them, but with these articles they would have a 
seat wherever they could find standing room. 
Following out this idea several of the stools have 
