Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1845-03-26
Agricultural.
MODE OF CULTIVATING T0BAC.j
COIN THE ISLAND OF CUBA. p
(FToD, the Florid,dn.)

.hobC VI " ~ NV
COIN THE ISLAND OF CUBA. z
Your nurseries are The first to ne alien
ded TO, in your preparation for a crop, BY
selecting al the proper season rich tole-
raLly moisr piece of new ground, and pre-
pare il by burning ii of very clean, and
breaking it up. The seed is then 10 be
sown broad cast upon it. and when they
are up. they are 10 be overlooked daily, to
see that the cui-worm does NOT commit
ravages among the young plants; aud as
fast as The plants arrive al a proper size,
lhey are to he transferred TO The Tobacco
field, 10 make room for the smaller plants
of the nursery. AS casualties frequently
arise t2 destroy some of the nurseries, it is
necessary 10 guard against a probability Of
not having a sufficient number of plants,
by making three or four nurseries, at an
interval of one or two weeks each. Much
attention should be observed TO keep both
our nurseries and fields very clean, par
ticularly of grass, aud for that reason new
lands are preferred for both. In Cuba
lhey plant on an even surface. and dis
turb it as little as possible with the hoe,
only picking out the grass or weeds which
spring up. The plants, when transferred
to the field. are to be planted in squares,
al about from two 10 three feet apart,
according to the strength of the land. The
high lands in Cuba are such as produce The
quality of Tobacco. both as 10 strength
and color, that suits the America marker
best, and such lands correspond nearest 10
our high hammocks. The greatest ene-
my 10 The plants, both in the nursery and
in The fields, (while small, is the cut-worm
which has 10 he looked after early every
morning, and wherever they have plants,
they are to be found and killed, either on
the plant, or on The ground neari il. When
the plants gels to be larger, then the green
Tobacco worm is to be constantly guar
ded against, and the suckers also ccn'nu-
ally broken off as rasl as they appear, and
when The tobacco is judged to be ola sutfi.
cient height, II is TO be topped and allowed
10 mature for cutting. The time Of matu-
rity is ascerlained by The leaves changing
gradually their color, beginning at the
bottom leaves, from their deep green
growing color, to yelIowish green; bul
If this is not sufficiently obvious, aud you
deem your Tobacco ripe. you may test
it by crushing together the tip of any Of
the upper leaves, which, if il snaps. is
sign ofits being ripe, but on the contrary.
rit does not suap, it is not fully malured.
When ripe for the knife it is cut down
near the ground, leaving two suckers.
which have been spared week or two
prior, ready TO grow up and produce Sc
cond crop and also third crop may he
realized in The same manner. The 10
bacco is to he conveyed carefully in wide
thongs of fcowhide TO the house, to he hung
up; shed is preferred. with free space for
ventilation beneath, and after tying the
plants together, two to each string. and
leaving space enough between lhem 10 IN
sert a wooden peg, you hang them up,
by inlruing them above each raftcr up 10
the ridge ofIbe house, being caselul not 10
hang them so near that they will touch or
crowd each other in drying, or your To
5acco will mould. Also when the wealth
er is moist, you must make small fires
enough under it, to keep ou, the moisture,
but enough to heat your Tobacco. When
the leaves are perfectly dry, the whole are
to be taken down. and placed in press
for few hours, the object of which is. il
The Tobacco is too dry to strip of without
breaking the leaves. that they may become
soft and pliable, but great care must be
taken that il does not heat. and it must
be strictly examined, by inserting The hand
to ascertain that it becomes nor too not.
The press is made by putting rails or poles
crosswise of each other, in form Of rack.
and placing hides ouder, over and
around The Tobacco, and placing upon it.
something sumewhat weigIty. II is then
to De stripped leaf by leaf from The stock,
and being selected, The wrappers from the
filters, to be tied al The butts, aud prepared
for market 1t is sometimes usual to pnt
it again in press after being stripped.