, 1862-12-29
Cultivation of Tobacco.

As there is O fair prospect that seed leaf to-
bacco will command d good price the ensuing
year, and as many Of our western farmers are
about to enter into the business who hnve had
little or no experience in cultiyating the crop,
beg the privilege Of suggesting a few ideas
to them, derived from own experience, |
through your wide spread Journal In select |
ing the ground for planting, the soil should |
be dry, rich sand loam, in order to produce Z !
fine leaf and good favor. Many crops have
been ruined the past year by planting them
on wet bottom lands. When raised upon
rich black prairie soil, n course, thick leaf will
be produced, with large woody veins and
peculiar bitter taste. The seed is slow In
eprouting, and the plants arc rarely large
enough to transplant from the beds into the
field before the 18th or 20th Of June, hence In
this State and In others about the latitude Of
our own, rapid growth is required, In order
to obtain good crop and secure it before the
appearance OF frost. -
In raising the crop west it is important to
protect it as fir as possible from The strong
prairie winds that prevail, as its value depends
much upon the integrity Of the leaf, there
fore timber openings and Southern and east
.ern slope, should be selected, as far as practi-
cable. The best seed leaf in the United States,
commanding the highest price, is raised near
Hartford, Conn.,, in latitude equally for north
with our own. In this crop, as in all others,
its value and success in raising, depends much
upon the seed used. OF the several varieties
| I think the broad silk leaf best adapted to our
| western climate. The narrow leaf grove
| longer and thicker, with large veins, hence
theadvantage Of selecting seed from the first
| nantioned-
In commencing the cultivation Of tobacco,
it is Of vital importance to have good seed and
bed Of early plants, in order to have them
transplanted in season to mature before the
| appearance Of frost. As the seed is often
ruined by frost while in the capsule, it should
be tested before planting by sprouting some
portions OF it. The ripe seed may also be
| known by its emitting an oil when mashed
upon the thumb nail The bed for plants
should be made rich with manure and ploWei
in tile full. As soon as the frost leaves the
ground in the spring, brush should be streweG
over the bed and burned, to- destroy the seed;
| from weeds, and thus save much labor ir
I wedding the bed.
One tablespoonful Of seed to rod square
of ground, evenly sowed upon the su1faee ani
/
possible, will be what is required. It should
be left on the surface If raked in and burriei
it viii never sprout. The beds should be kep
; clear from weeds, and should the season b
: dry MAY require watering. In order to Pro
) " prepared and nlanured, before the time TO
tTansplanting. Horse manure seems to b
the best fertilizer to cultivate seed lcaf adapt
, / cd to cigar manufacture. It produces a rapit
growth, thin leaf, fine flavor and white asl
liant h
ammonia contained in the manure. I'll
dressing for the land may be spread on All
: | plowedin or placed more Immediately unde
+ the plant in drills. In a wet season or damp
ish soil, the latter method is preferable; bu
care should be had to make the drill deep M
: cover the manure thoroughly. The drill
!. | should be three and q half feet apart, and til
= plants set in straight rows two and q half fec
from each other. Transp1antirg should b
e done Immediately after q rain if possible
plant separately. The plant should be cult
Vated thoroughly and kept free from weed;
and also from the green tobacco worm tIla
? infests it. If the plants are set as they shoul
j be the 18th or 20th Of June, the green worl
= viii require attention in July Where th
L worming the crop. They travel regularl
/, ! through the rows, picking off such worn
). as are in sight, and the turkey herd easilytol
them to the rows he wishes them to follow b
corn which he carries in his pocket for Il
purpose.
When the plant has arrived at q certai
4 hight before blossoming it requires topping
d # of good growth top it two and half {
0 three feet from tile ground, leaving twelve I
:, thirteen leaves on a stalk. As the sucke
|. appear they should be broken off and befo
IF the plant is cut should be entirely strippe
+. from the stalk. When the crop is mature fl
harvesting, the leaf assumes mott1edappea
Y anee, and cracks open when folded.
= NARCOTINA.