, 1862-03-14
TOBACCO CULTURE.
Minute Directions to the Farmers Of the West.

to pay some attention to Tobacco as crop
for this year, basing the appeal upon the fact
that all the tobacco-gr growing districts In the
country are suffering from the rebellion, and
that the years. crop will be necessarily small
and prices high. A gentleman Of this city-a
man Of sense, education and character-who
in New York, has undertaken to prepare for
our columns q series Of articles, in which
minute directions to the grower are set forth.
His information is reliable and valuable. We
print the first Of his communications below:
Editors Chicago Tribune:
Noticing an article in q late number Of your
paper on Tobacco Culture, it occurred to me
that some practical information on the sub
ject might be Of value to some Of your read
ers; and therefore I volunteer s. few remarks
to that end.
The only kind Of tobacco grown successfully
in the Northern States is the ssSced Lcaf,'
used in the manufacture Of smoking tobacco,
and las been mostly confined to small dis
tricts in Connecticut, New York, Pennsylya-
MIA and Ohio. Connecticut having taken the
lead in its production, her tobacco has become
the standard Of quality, and consequently
ssod mqsh Of the he gher @ ds s # SEQ toSacee
seed, though actually grown in New York,
Pennsylvania, Ohio, or elsewhere. It's main
feature is its quality, and the profit arising
from its production depends upon:the ability
Of the producers to furnish a quality which
will command ready market and good
price; and, I will add, that no article of pro-
duction commands more prompt and certain
return than q first class quality OF seed tobacco
in every market.
In the States above mentioned the crop has
proved very profitable where proper land has
been selected for its growth, and the requisite
skill and care exercised in its management.
The average yield per acre, under good hus-
handry, is about 500 1hs., and on choice soil
| and rich, extra tillage, 1900 to :, 500 lbs.
dhf ba pc n Rrsa es g g9eq oS ne M
crop as high as $3.50 and $500 per ton.
| After the proper fixtures are erected, the
cost Of the crop, fitted for market, is from $40
to $50 per acre, depending upon the price Of
labor, manure, etc One consideration in re-
gard to the labor, however, is, that one half is
| required in the winter Season in preparing it
for market, at which time farmers have but
| little to do.
| These figures show, in case Of a successful
| crop, 4 very large return for the labor and out
| lay, and will admit of a reasonable allowance
for poor crop and still leave profit they
are based upon my own operations for several
| success siye years in the production of tobacco
in the State Of New York. They show mod
| crate estimate Of the cost and receipts.
Tic fact that tobacco Of thrifty growt! aud
good quality can be raised III Illinois, Wiscon-
sin, Indiana and Michigan, has been demon
strated to certainty. During the seyen years
that I llaEc been resident of Chicago
My attention has been called By dealers to
samples grown in all the last mentioned
States. These samples prove that the proper
/ soil for Its successful growth is not wanting !;
but they also prove that the benefit Of tdis
| production is lost by the want Of knowledge
/ in the curing and preparation Of it for market;
for its up11larketab,e condition renders it val
uanle only for the most common uses to which
the article is appropriated and, in conse-
! queDce, the owner realizes only one hall, and
| sometimes not over one-fourth, OF the price
which it would have brought lud it been pro-
| perly treated from the time it was taken from
| the field.
The samples which I have examined from
! Michigan and Indiana, when considered inde-
! pendent Of the condition, did not exhibit as
fre quality Of leaf as those Of Illinois. Spe-
| clnens Of Illinois tobacco show as fine aud
elastic texture and as good 81 burning quality IS
| any Of Connecticut, New York or Ohio; and
under the same treatment, I have no doubt,
would bear as good character in the market
| after lis merits become known. Another fcat-
uTe encouraging to the Western farmer to try
the experiment, is the fact that the supply Of
| the Northwestern States is now being MANU-
tacturcd to great extent at Chicago, and that
the stock Of leaf Tobacco which furnishes these
nsanuiactories Is purchased East, aud comes
| to the manufacturer charged with the profit Of
the jobber and cost Of transportation, over tile
| amount received by the producers, us Etlted
| above. In this view Of tue case, it il matter
| Of Importance to the far1ners Of the West and
especially OF tic fertile regions Of Illinois, in
| districts distant from market, to make the .y-
| pertinent, and if successful, add this valuable
| product to their rich Aaryests.
10 enable any Who are not acquainted with
tic crop, and who may desire to make the OK
| pertinent, will briefly describe The proe.ss
| by Which the crop is produced. The soil re-
4ujsi'c for good growth and quality is dry
sandy ioan in warm location, protected as
MUCH As possible from winds. Sui containing
any mixture Of clay is Objectionable. The
| field selected should have been un.ler cu.tiya-
lion Tor the last year aud highly lcrtitized by
lnanures; should receive another dressing this
| spring: and plowcd deep as carly as the c0ndi-
tion Of the earth will admit. One object Of
l's;';s artificial means Of fertiziug is, THAT it
improves the burning qualify as we'll Us stin-
ulatcE the growth Of the product.
The first business, however, to command
the attention Of the 1;triler who intends To
1.,ake the experiment this season, is the pre-
l:,':stion and seeding Of bed for the produe-
tit'n Of The plants. As soon as tho land is III a
cprditiun to work light, select patch oi rich.
warr1 light land, in a position to be shielded
from exposure to the north and west winds,
| ald prepare bed with plentiful admi1ture
OF strong compost. Hog or hen manure is
preferable, for tue reason that it is much more
active in fastening the growth Of the young
plant, ard does not incumber the SOIL by pre-:
venting the surface from being rendered
jriai,ic :sild equally ru1yeriztd for the reccp-
ton Of the seed: Which is small, and requires
position so near the surface that it is hardly
covered from exposure. The manure Or com
post should he near the eurface. When the
ajed is prepared Lhc seed should be thinly and
evenly distributed over it, aild should be i'm
mediatcIy fastened bF pressing the surface
firmly with the back Of Il shovel, and the bed
then covered with q layer of clean, straigh!
| stray and kent ri,
LAID upon it ut suitable distances. This
covering should be sufficiently thick tt
prevent the seed from being distributed BY
the wind, and to assist the land to re
tain moisture on the surface and not
prevent the warming influence Of the SUI
upon IT. This process ensures uniform gcr
mination Of the seed, and in one-fourth of tht
TING required by leaving the surface exposed
This covering should he left undist11rbed unit
the plant appears and then removed. Thu
ance hy its snall. round lcaycs. closely set tt
the stem, and unlike other plants. AS soon g!
it has attained sufficient size not to be dis
turbed hy wedding, the bed should be cleanei
Of weeds and the plants thinned sutfl
interference. This should be don
without pressing on the bed. as it i
required to be kept light. A plank supportcs
at each end, laid across the beds for the labor
1 crto Tccline upon while doing the work, vii
/ ob"AAtS AHt@t lAtIyCi. ANC uCuS suUl1u Ut Euu
siantIy attended and kept clean until the leave
Of the plants arc two inches in diameter, whe1
they will be fit for transplanting. The seed
ing may be done rs late as the middle Of April
bnt it is desirable that should be done as carl,
as the first Afew days before the plant is read
10 set, the field intended for the crop sho,1,
he again ploWcd ard narrowed, and row
marked north and south three and half t.
four feet apart, and places prepared with 4 ho
two 1cct apart on the rows, for setting til
I plant. The first wet day after the ground
prepared should be improved in transplant
: Ing This process is the most important G
4 all, and shall, therefore, be particular in it
i description. The plants should be move
= willie tho bed is wet, by inserting small iro
+ Instrument to the depth Of the root, genn
J looscning it, until it can be easily draw
). ! out: They are then transferred to til
Held, and by means Of a round pointe
J. wood instrument one inch in diameter, a hol
= is made some four or five inches deep in til
q place prepared, into which tho root is inserte
: and the earth pressed firmly together aronndi i
r During the season of its growth the flel
shout be kept clean with the hoe as long
there is space to work round the plants.
!. I have thus far been minute in describiu
q the process, hoping to assist any unacquain
ed with the crop and its made 7
management who may feel disposed t
n make tie trial this season. In
subsequent article, with your permission,
VIII give your readers the mode Of maturin
a the plant for harvesting, and the subsequer
10 management of curing and preparing 1t fl
e market. Also directions for the erection {
y cheap and convenient fixtures for the pu