The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1852-10-13

From the Farmer and Planter.
Tobacco, Pickens Lands, &c.

VIM Isi 'uaI FARMERS Ill the upper dis
trlcts OF all Our Southern States do not
cultivate mere tobacco? We believe rs
much may be made to the acre on similar
land as in North Carolina and Virginia,
and If as we'll handled we presume the
quality would be but very little, if any
thing inferior. Then why it is, We again
ask do we not cultivate more of our rich
mountain lands in tobacco? so as to pro-
duce at least the quantity that is consum-
cd in the State instead of paying the cnor-
nous amount that goes yearly to the to-
bacco growing regions for your supplies.-
We are no consumer of the vile weed"
If we were, we are right sure we should
produce yearly at least to the amount of
our consumption, as is the practice we be-
lievc with our neighbor the Hon. r. +.
Simpson who makes and manufactures
yearly not only enough for his own use,
but for that of his negroes and some to
give to his neighbors who are less provid
ent than himself.
We recently (September 1st) visited on,
young friend r. Maxwell, jr, in Pickens
district, and after we had taken hache-
Iors' dinner with him (here's home young
ladies worth setting your caps for) were
invited to see his crop of tobacco and corn
and were delighted to find he had about
seven acres, part land that had been
cleared many years, and part new, (clear-
ed the last winter) in tobacco which pro-
misses a fair yield and of superior quality
both for chewing and smoking, the latter
from seed procured in Florida. A part of
the old land had been lightly manured,
the balance, and the'new land had no
manure. Now altho' we understand rs
much as 500 W.T., Of cotton per acre has
been made on the place, yet we think our
young friend has shown more wisdom in
choosing the tobacco crop for his latitude.
than he would have done by giving pre-
terence to Cotton. \ shower of rain pre-.
vented our seeing the corn crop, which we
understood, both from Mr.. Nj. and others
was very superior, especially that on his
Cane Creek bottom.
The following on the Culture of Tobac-
co on thin land, with the aid of Guano
only, will be interesting to many of our
readers.
Mr.. EDIToR,-In hurried conversation
with Col. Bondurant last fall, in Charlottes-
vile, stated that | had raised tobacco on
very thin land without the aid of anv 9th
er manure Il an guano and plaster. Now,
although | think it more than probable
that the conversation has passed from his
mind entirely, still justice to him, as well
as myself, requires that | should state the
experiments exactly as they were made;
In 1850, after preparing the land as usual
with the plough and harrow, about three
hundred pounds Of guano and one hund-
red and fifty pounds Of plaster were sowed
on an acre, and then hillcd with the plough
Il portion of this land had dressing of
straw and chat, which aided the crop Of |
tobacco very much; also, the crop OF whcat,* |
and is very visible now in the crop of clo-
yer, being fully equal to that on similar
land, manured with forty loads of stable
manure to the acre, but no guano. In
1851 the same experiment was tried, and
lp to this time promises similar result.
he land being now in wheat A portion
'f this crop of tobacco, manured with
straw, guano and plaster, was Immediately |
adjoining lot that was thought to be
rich without any aid, it being
.he yard and garden of an old settlement,
and pery rich; when compared with the !
adjacent land, the result in tobacco much
in favor of the guano portion. l also in
1880 sowed about four hundred pounds
per acre on small portion of the crop of
tobacco, and some plaster; this, though
not too much for the tobacco, thought
rather too heavy dose for the succeeding
crop of wheat, some Of it lodging, not
withstanding the fine season, and leaving
a very indifferent stand of clover.
THos. GARLAND.
Southern Planter.