Saint Paul weekly Minnesotian., 1858-07-10
Shall we raise our own Tobacco in
NIinnesOla9

Shall we raise our own Tobacco in
MinnesOtaa
ToBACCo.-N, C notice that larger prepara-
tions are being made for this crop in this Vi
cinity, than usual. That this is one of the best
paying crops on rich land, is generally admit
ted by our farmers. Its advantages are that
it grows quick, and sells rapidly at highly re-
munerating prices. About 20 days of good
weather is all that is requisite to mature the
plant after its transplanting. A tons weight
of merchantable tobacco is often realized
from an acre, and from $3.50 to $500 is its
money equivalent. Its disadvantages are
that it is almost a useless crop, that it re-
ouires the most fertile soils, that it needs
more labor than any other product, and that
Il portion of the labor comes in hurrying
season of the year Tobacco beds need good
attention now Wedding and watering is all
that can be done, but if well attended to, the
plants grow rapidly. A farmer of our acquain-
tancc digs hole just outside of his barn-yard
in order to catch the rinsin2s OF his yard, and
waters the young plants with this. After
sunset or in cloudy weather is the best time
to water. There is no danger of plants being
too forward. Some have already begun to
set, but the usual time is from the 18th to
the 3Oth of June. Tobacco has been known
TO do well set as late as the 9th of July, but
that is the extreme limit Three and half
feet each way is the proper distance for the
hills in this locality.-SpringGen Republican
June II.
In copying the above article, from news
paper published in Central Massachusetts,
relative to the prospects this year, the atten-
ton needed, and the probable prospects Ct
the Tobacco crop thereabouts, with the spec
ial view on our part Of making it text or
pretext, for re-urging upon Minnesota Farm
ers the expediency of their doroting q portion
If their farms to the culication Of Tobacco, SO
as to save to our State, by home production
Of the areed the immense outlay of cash capi-
tal which its consumption annually draws
from the aggregate of our wealthy think
itmay save some misconception of our neotioes
for so doing to declare, that when the editors
Of this paper were youngsters, IN one partlc-
uar at least our education was entirely neg
lected-and that particular is that neither
of us learned to smoke or chew Tobacco; and
though we confess to being little cup to
snuf,," but not after the nOse-titilating or
both of us thoroughly abhor the weed' i'll
all its various notifications and prepara-
tions; gum-rubbing fashion, it is q fact, that
that never having used it we feel safe in say
ing that we never intend to; and that it is
our humble opinion, that many amongst the
rest of mankind also would be better off
without it, alike in their health in cleanliness
and their purses. But whilst thus believing,
we trust we are far removed from that spe-
cies of fanaticism, that denounccs its use by
any body else as either criminal, or even cen
surable, except as the practice might be con-
demned OH the score of bad taste, generally,
and about the mouth O. particularly-and
of bad manners occasionally. Nor do we
feel called upon to preach to initiated tobac-
co-eaters, repentance and reform. Some ex-
perience, by long observation, of the inveteracy
Of the habit has taught Us the hopelessness
of wasting breath in efforts of that kind
Though "Onc rose from the dead" to SER
monize against the practice, a cigar or pipe
full the less would not be smoked nor quid
the less chewed. The ghost of old King
James the First might even appear and in as
sepulchral tones as those pumped up from
the bowels Of the earth by Hamlet's fathers
repeat over again for the especial benefit of
this generation of tobacco chewcrs and smok
crs, his famous pamphlet entitled aye Kings
counterblast ae eainst ye weed yciept Tobaccc,''
without a soul Of them caring quid about
1.-THE pamphlet with all its ghostly horrors
attendant would fall again sliborn, as of old
it did from the press, when it failed to put
down or arrest the consumption of the weed
upon its very first Introduction into civilized
society. When kings have failed, and would
yet fail if they tried it, we shall not be fools
enough to rush in to the encounter. Did.
any great moral erU depend upon continu
anCe Of the practice, we might feel ourselves
called upon by sense Of duty to struggle
against it, though wind and current both op-
posed our success. Unfortunately perhaps
for our ease and comfort, certainly for the
bulkiness of our purses, we do not belong to
the tribe of editors who consider success the
only goddess to be worshiped Abstract
Right and abstract Duty have likewise pow
erful charms to excite our devotion; and we
might content ourselves forever in small
minority, contcnding for Great Moral CT Po-
Hica5 Truths, if conscience approved, honor
called and duty to Heaven, our country, and
our fellow men, required our efforts and labors.
But with th, Tobacco Raising matter, moral
or political right have little properly to do
There are some, we know. who seem to think
differently; and among them we suppose, we
may class cotemporary press in Winona
and one in st. Paul who sneercd at our
former article to encourage the cultivation
OF Tobacco in Minnesota, and seemed to op.
pose our etferts in that direction and to
favor in preference an impracticable crusade
adverse to the u.s. Of the weed at all "a cru
SADIE against a mere popular m0aaerisn3-
rather than enforce upon the Minnesota pub
lie the practice of wi8e political economy
which, taking men and things as they are-no
moral question being involved should en-.
deavor to retrieve cur pecuniary condition
somewhat and save money to the community,
by raising upon our own lands an article q
widespread consumption which exhausted
our prosperity in just the proportion it ab-
strac:ed dollars from the common purse to
pay people abroad for supplying US with that
which We are aburdantly competent both
by soil and climate to produce at home.
Notwithstanding however, tie few carpers
at our suggestions, We have had the satisfac-