Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1834-09-08
ON TIE PRESERVATION OF PLANT
BEDS FOR TOBACCO.

From The Fafmcrs Register.
Owing to the extravagan; custom Of selecting
and burning new beds for plants every year, the
land pesi adapcd 10 pIan,.raising has become IN
many parts OF the coun ry very scarce. Hence the
z difficulty Of p ming at seasonable tune the
TOBACCO crop, upon - hich So much is d pendent no
10 he prod CT. i'he difference between II late snd
for yer crop, the past experience of all tobacco
&lower. ndnly testify. 1t is not my Oh
j"c - say any thing respecting the many disad-
yahtages and great loss the planting Inttre5f
arising from late crops Bur propose inviting nj
"ntion To the importance OF pfesfrN ny such land
as Is best adapted to raising plants, ana to state
SOM eXpcr ments which nave tined with cOdsld-
eroblc success The general oppression IS, that
pans cannot be ras d with rs much certainty
old as W beds The folmer generally are III
op II Fl is, ond more Exposed 70 the WINDS and sun,
which ause them 10 Dr., much sooner than the lat
;er winch almost invariably IN the woods
vhere hey beuer projected. believe that but
he, ifany difference has Ell observed IN beds sim
Il rIy looaie aad popory managed.
NJ my cxpedlents have been trled, and some have
faded, Wills, oilers have succeeded raising
plan's on old bets For tho ias SIX or eight years,
have raised fully half of my plans from Old bed.
some of which have been barni regularly dunn. the
whole TIM, and are more productive now han
when first burnt.
viii montion two or hree xpldIcnts which |
have tried with considerable success. Covering
he bed with leaves or brush, rscs TO protect II
from Tie sun and prevents grass from putting up
and seeding, which IS very desirable. The only
OF, cion 10 this mode IS tina the bed will need ma
nnre every year, and the tficulty Of getting such
as is suitable, and free from grass seed is, and has
been, the great objection TO his plan. As rcmc-
dy | Will suggest an experiment made, ard WIN
'hcn was much pleas d. IN consequence OF lis
succ SIS, which was this soon as had dfawn
a | lhs plants | intend d from the bed, | penned
my cat le on it,n.,il was well manurod-(caye
should be token not to suffer them TO 90 on when
the land is wct) 1t is ,Tpoltant that this should
be done as early as possible ha, It may be sufficient
ly MANFRED before The grass seed is ripe, which vii
be a great economy OF ioicr and wood, as the bee
| will require but htte burnng-the land having
been once well burnt. So far as my experiences
serves, this superscdes the necessity OF manurine
| after the plants nave come nTt winch Is aVety tou
| blrsnm JOB, and bot little OF our ands now left fo
| this purpose will bring plants withou' 1t. 30 soot
as The cattle are remov d. the bed should be cover
ed with brush until the fall or early ~ the Winter
" hen il may be removed III order That the he'd may
drv for burning, which II done during some dtJ
So II 1t ma, season, viii require very igh burning
t'r ouen,ly brush viii bc sufi ieni provided NJ
grass has been suffered grow and seed the oed
II would be we'll to nay some regard TO locality n
mak,np n selection for stsnJng bed Under gu
present ,lsn we VIII soon pe deprived OF all ,hcs
scots so fayorably situated for watering, and S
nave increased the difficulty Of raising plant,
Would il not be we'll 10 preserve such spots as ca