CULTURE OF TOBACCO. 
629 
break the soil well, particularly that part intended to be first planted; 
I then divide the ground into three parts. The first division is bored 
with holes eighteen inches apart every way, and from eighteen to 
twenty incites deep. I then take some crowns cut into single buds, 
and drop them into the bottom of the holes, filling them up with rot¬ 
ten tan, cinder dust, or any light soil; a light dwarf crop may then be 
sown on the ground as well as on the two pieces kept in reserve. The 
year following I plant another division the same way, and the year 
afterwards the last division is planted, by which time that which was 
first planted is ready to take up, this is done in the manner following : 
a trench is opened at one end of the piece to the depth of the roots, 
which are each cut horizontally with the spade, leaving the bottom of 
the root in the ground, until the piece, or as much as will serve for 
a year be taken up. The trench is then levelled back, picking out 
all the little fibrous roots, and adding a little rotten dung as occasion 
requires. When it pushes up again in the summer I take advantage 
of rain to thin it out to regular distances, and by the time the last 
planted piece has been taken up, it will be grown to a fine size. The 
roots, when taken up, are laid in with their fibres entire, in a cool, 
moist situation, where they will keep good twelve months or more if 
required. By these means I have always a regular succession of well 
grown roots every year, and by keeping it on one quarter I prevent 
the nuisance of it coming up, wherever it may have been planted. 
When once a plantation is made it will keep producing fine roots a 
great number of years, giving the ground, every time you take up a 
quantity of roots, a good dressing of dung. 
Rusticoi.a. 
Wandsworth, May 22, 1832. 
ARTICLE IV. 
ON THE CULTURE AND PREPARATION OF VIRGINIA 
AND ORONOOKA TOBACCO. 
BY MR. MEARNS. 
After the leaves are gathered, and laid across poles or lines in an 
airy, open shade, till a large portion of the watery juices are evapo¬ 
rated, they are laid in large boxes filled up to the top, a lid fitted to 
the inside of the box is laid upon them, and weights upon it to press 
them down; fermentation soon takes place, and as is seen by dung 
