Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1860-05-01
I From the Charlottesville Rerie,r.
Tobacco Fertilizers.

HoLKHAM, April 10, le60.-You were so
polite as to solicit me to say something occa-
sionally through your paper on the SUBJECT
of agriculture, and | embrace this opportu-
nifty Of urging upon the growers of tobacco
the propriety, might say the absolute ne
cessty, OF selecting good soil only, and cul-
tivating at least one-third less; concentrating
their manures, home made and bought, on a
smaller surface, and making larger, heavier
and richer tobacco, which invariably COM
mands remunerative price, because 50 few
planters have the sagacity to adopt the only
sure mode Of raising this description of to-
bacco.
At this time the price of ordinary tobacco
is so low, that no one can afford to grow it.,
while large, rich, heavy tobacco pays WE'LL
Some planters will doubtless say their soil is
too poor to produce tobacco OF this descrlp-
ton, not so, however, except in but few in
stances. The writer of this has generally
grown as good tobacco as his nelghbors,
whose lands are held from fifteen to TWEEN
ty-fve dollars per acre gher--overcoming
the great inferiority Of sol! which tins Tact
will Indicate, by a ge4ter concentration OF
manures and giving to It's cultivation ana
general management, that attention, which
could not be given to q large and full crop.
1t may be said that if every one adopts
this plan, the best tabacco Will likewise
come down to ruinously low price. grant
it; but this can never be the case, as the far
mers generally with but few exceptions)
seem to prefer cropping in Egyptian dark
ness and rarely abandon the error OF their
ways. Having received great number OF
inquiries by letter and otherwise, as to the
fertilizers | shall use on my soil for tobacco,
to save much trouble | will here state, that
| shall apply one halfbarrel to the acre, of
plaster, containing 10 per cent potash, which
| procure Of Samuel Sands, esq, OF Baitl-
more, editor Of the Rural Register; aud III
addition to this, from one hundred and iity
to two hundred and fifty pounds OF prepa-
ration made by r. II. Stabler esq, for
Messrs. Fowle & Co., Alexandria, containing
two-thirds Peruvian Guano, and one-thlrd
Soluble Phosphate, made by treating Som
brero Guano with sulphuric acid. | used
this last, on my wheat last Fall, as did sever
al of my neighburs, and from present APP
pearances, consider it an exceedingly valu-
able fertilizer Allofthe simple phoSphates,
unless treated with ulphuric acid. are to"
iusoluble, | fear, to produce any perceptlble
effect ON the immediate crop, and especially
those grown entirely during the Summer
and Fall.
Experiments have been repeatedly made IN
England, where there is so much more hui
midity than here), establishing the fact that
one bushel Of soluble phosphate will produce
as great an effect on the crop as five IN the
crude insolube state.
Many short-sighted farmers will doubtless
be deferred from using the above fertilizer
to the extent which | have recommended;
but who should hesitate one moment, when
an expenditure Of from eight to ten dollars
per acre, will ensure crop, IN ordinary sea-
sons, worth from Sl25 to $40 per acre, and
afterwards Il good crop OF wheat and stand OF
grass.
| shall experiment, also, with some Eide
or California Guano, applying at the same
time the preparation of Plaster and Potash,
which consider highly important, whatever
else may be preferred. 49,,
In writing the above no one, | trust, Will
be induced to suspect even that | wish to
disparage other preparations, OF which there
are now such 4 number, nearly all Ot which
seem to have produced good effects on some
soils and with some persons. As an hum
BILE farmer, in my plain way have cndeavor-
ed to respond 10 those vino have been 50 kind
as to deem my opinion and practice o. some
value.
Such as they are, very hurrIediy written,
| send them for publication, trusting that
those, at least, who have induced me to pre-
pare them, viii! properly appreciate my mo
tiycs.
Unacceptable to your readers, may per-
hans say more to them, occasionally, on sub
iects interesting 10 Agricu!turists.
In haste most truly yours.