108 
THE CULTIVATOR 
April 
Tobacco Culture in the Northern States. 
Messes. Editohs —During the last few years the 
weevil or wheat midge, (Cecydomyia tritica,) has 
destroyed a large portion of the wheat crop in many 
parts of the wheat-growing district in western New- 
York. Wheat has been our great staple, but the midge 
annually spreads more and more, until finally the 
whole wheat district will probably be more or less in¬ 
fected by this pest. The wheat crop in Yates county, 
is at least one third below an average yield. If we 
cannot make money raising wheat, perhaps other 
things may be grown, equally if not more profitable. 
Among these we rank tobacco, which, if rightly culti¬ 
vated, will yield large profits. According to the cen¬ 
sus report of 1850, there wero produced that year in 
the United States, 199,739,746 lbs. of tobacco, of which 
more than one-half was raised , by Virginia and Ken¬ 
tucky. Ohio produced 10,454,449 lbs.; Connecticut, 
1,267:644; Massachusetts, 138,346; Pennsylvania, 912,- 
651; Illinois, 841,394; Indiana, 1,044,620; N. York, 
83,189 lbs. Ohio produces more than all the other free 
states. 
Connecticut has long grown tobacco. According to 
Henry Watson, in the Cultivator of 1844, about 500 
tons arc grown annually in the valley of the Connecti¬ 
cut, of which the town of East Windsor produces 300 
tons. Mr. Watson states that the yield of 1843 was 
less than usual, 1,500 lbs. being about the average per 
acre. They cultivate two varieties of the weed—the 
broad and narrow leaf. The latter is about two weeks 
the earliest. Their soil and climate s6em to be peeu- 
liarly* adapted to the production of a superior article, 
one pound in market being worth nearly as much as 
two pounds of Virginia or Kentucky tobacco. This va¬ 
riety is known as the “ Connecticut Seed Leaf.” In 
the Albany Cultivator of 1847, are some * remarks of 
the editor on the cultivation of tobacco in tho valley of 
the Connectiout river. He says—“ To give a profitable 
crop there, requires pretty rich land—though the sandy 
soils manured at the rate of ten or twenty common 
two-horse or ox loads of manure per acre, produce well. 
With good management the usual yield is from 1,500 
to 2,000 lbs. per acre of marketable tobacco, and an 
average return of $100 to $160 per acre; With the 
course that is there pursued, tobacco is by no means 
an injurious crop to the soil; on the contrary it is 
found to be an ameliorating one. The liberal manur¬ 
ing and clean cultivation necessary to bestow on the 
tobacco, fits the soil admirably for other erops; and it 
i3 found that wheat and other grains and grass flourish 
better where tobacco forms a part of the rotation. 
Messrs. Lathrop mentioned an instance of their hav¬ 
ing put $36 worth of manure on an acre and an hun¬ 
dred rods of land which they planted.with tobacco. 
They got a ton of tobacco which they sold for $160. 
They sowed the same land to wheat and got 30 bush¬ 
els. The next crop was hay, and gave at two cuttings 
four tons. The stalks of tobacco, after the leaves have 
been taken off, aro scattered over the ground and plow¬ 
ed in, or placed in the manure heap to rot. It is known 
that their ashes contain a large proportion of potash. 
We are told that where two or three stalks are left on 
grass ground their effect is very visible in the rank 
growth of the grass around.” 
The following estimate of the cost of raising one 
acre of tobacco, is taken from the New-York Farmer 
and Mechanic. It is estimated from several acres 
which averaged one ton per acre, which was sold at 
$160 per ton : 
Use of one acre of land one year,.. $15 00 
10 loads of manure at $2,50, carting and spreading 
$5—one-half is. 15 00 
Plowing twice,. 3 00 
Harrowing and marking,. 100 
7,000 tobacco plants, at 50 cents,. 3 50 
Setting plants.. 3 00 
Hoeing four times,. 5 00 
Killing worms,. 2 00 
Topping, &c .... 4 00 
Cutting"and hanging up to dry, .. 4 00 
Stripping from stalk and packing,. 5 00 
Rent of shed to dry in,. 4 00 
Freighting to Warehouse Point,. 3 00 
$67 50 
Deduct $67,50 from $160, leaves $92,50 profit. 
Mr. Nelson Thompson, the President of the Yates 
Co. Ag. Society, has cultivated tobacco during the last 
two years. The last year he had planted between 13 
and 14 acres, of which he estimates the average yield 
between 1,800 and 2,000 lbs. per acre. His soil is good, 
and he manures highly. He estimates tho value of his 
tobacco, at present prices, to be at least $2,000. Ad¬ 
mitting that one-half of that is for expenses, which is 
too large an estimate, he has a clear profit of at least 
over $70 per acre. 
The Northern States have millions of acres well 
adapted to the culture of tobacco, nor is there any pro¬ 
bability of too many engaging in it. In Virginia 
there is said to be a large deficit in the yield during 
the last few years. Its use increases in spite of anti- 
tobacco societies. In proportion to the decrease in the 
use of ardent spirits, will that of tobacco increase, be¬ 
cause very many will use something to excite or quiet 
the nerves. 
Those who wish to obtain information concerning its 
culture, will find a detailed account of the method 
practiced in Connecticut, in the Albany Cultivator of 
1844. Yours truly, S. B. Buckley. West Dresden , 
Yates co., N. Y., Feb. 1, 1854. 
Prices of BreadstufFs. 
A gentleman, who spent a large portion of the past 
year in Europe, assures us that the reported deficiency 
of breadstuffs in Europe is real. It is larger than is 
generally believed. The aspect of European affairs 
warrants the belief, that the demand for American pro¬ 
duce, alread}' large, will increase rather than diminish, 
for months to come. In this state of things, immigra¬ 
tion will he likely to equal, at. least, any former exam¬ 
ples. Between an increasing foreign demand and an 
augmented home market, the American farmer need 
have no fear but that he will be able to sell, at re¬ 
munerating prices, all he can raise. Whatever sur¬ 
plus may have accumulated, in past years, is now in 
a fair way to be exhausted; and it may be set down 
