, 1863-02-23
THE FARM AND GARDEN.

1nE FARM AND GAhDftNs
Tobacco CuIture-GrosxingP Plants on
the Prair1en-A Hint about Growing
from Soed-Tobacco Plants In Hot
: spring Nheat-Corn Planting.
CHAMPAIGN, Feb. 10th, 1858.
Tobacco culture IS becoming almost
mania in some paris of the country, mud thou
sands Of farmers arc rushing into the business,
most OF them with little or no experience. Es-
60, are being multiplied, and grecdily swal'
lowed. Most of these are the rehasl OF Ken
lucky and Virginia modes long time canon
,zed In tho hearts Of the slave driving cul:lva"
tors Of the weed.
With q different soil aud climate, with appn-
anccs ofnew implements, and Wtthtntelltgent
labor, It is our duty to improve on these old
systems TINT arc probably well adoptcdto the
condition of things when they become "thc
only true modes"
The burning of huge piles Of brush to fur
nish the seed beds with ashes, the risk Of late
frosts, the storms Of sleet and foods of rain,
must yield to the hot bed, the comfort heap
and the glazed sash. With these we can
surely lay the foundation Of the crop without
regard to the 1csathsr.
We arc not going to inflict the reader with
long or learned essay, but to point out facts
| that have been demonstrated on the pEairies
within the past five years. Most Of our
! farmers have no brush heaps to burn oyer
their seed beds. Well, burn corn stalks in
place Of it, or make your beds without the
burning. on some sunny slope. Spade and
| rake the beds oyer-tramp them down hard,
then 1ake slightly, just loosening the surface,
| on this SOW IN ounce OF seed to 800
square feet Of beed space, pat down the
| bed after sowing with board OF the back Of
q spade, but do not rake in the seed. To SOW
60 small an amount Of seed on so large q
space, mix it with dry earth or ashes. Cover
| the seed bed two or three feet deep with small
twigs, trimmed from the orchard or other
trees, as this is almost absolutely necessary
in this mode Of growing the plants, to protect
them from cold and to Keep the SUFFICE damp,
as otherwise the seed, being 50 very small,
nav not sprout. By-thc-way this covering Of
small brush is Invaluable on Seeding cabbage
beds and Ill delicate flower seeds, Of course
to be gradually removed as the weather gets
warm and the plants rooted. If our fair
readers will take the hint, they will have less
complaint Of r;.scally seeds-men.
For the past half 4 dozen years tobacco
plants have been grown in 0 small way in
our grounds by the above mode, without the
sem6lancc Of a failure, though, Of course, not
BEDS. We have never tried pricking out into
cold frames, as is practised with cabbage
plants, but shall give it o trial this spring, a:
we have the plants now ready in seed boxe;
for the PURPOSE As five or siI Thousand
plants will be sufficient for aa acre, the labol
and expense is not large, and We will thus in
| ,,}nn fa n hn Wfff
such plants tic cost of culture will be greatly
lessened. To grow the plants in hot beds ful
IN acre will require half m ounce Of seed ant
!, about $50 feet Of sash: Bnist's Kitchen Gar
lencr, and other works, give full direction!
in regard to hot beds, or which is better, en-
; ploy. if possible, some practical gardener t.
J lake chasge Of them. They should be mad
! at once, or not later than the middle 0
! March.
+ The Connecticut seed leaf is considered tn
) best for segars, Cuba grown seed is also he'll
, in high esteem; in Kentucky the twist bud fo
: chewing is considered among the best. Their
!. is probably less difference in varieties than /
, generally supposed, the heavy kinds maxim
tip in weight what they lose in price.
The ground must be thoroughly prepared
: by ploTing, rolling and narrowing, and Il
I can be set, in rows, three and a half feet wide
\ and three feet in the row. This Is done witt
!. q dibble, in the same way as the setting G
f cabbage, but care must be had not to :1lo'
= the p1ants to become Wilted before setting
/. and in taking them from the beds, the So
!. must be 1oosencd with atrowen or spade, S
: that none Of the roots will be broken in th
lifting. After setting, the plants are workc
with two horse cultiyator or double shove
# plows, the Eamc as corn, and the weeds keI
q down in the rows with hoe, but the hocin
l. will not amount to much if the horse is mad
!. to do his duty.
# The wormfng, pruning suck1ings,. topping
n cutting and curing will not vary from ii
r long experience Of the South.
2 Pruning which consists in taking off til
r two lower leaves is q useless labor with OF
+ mode OF culture, and should be dispense
e when all half dead leaves may be remove
during the process Of suckcriDg.
The topping is done witha view Of changin
the quality Of the leaf, or its thickness, ar
will depend upon the uses to which it is to t
pea hs S Sss The r@er Sa9n TO viii
suit the market before topping. On the
II points we will have more to say during tt
y season.
s. SPRING WHEAT.
y, As soon as the ground will permit Il
u spring wheat should be sown. Do not VI
D. u, forthe surface to become dry or the grou1
- to settle, us the subsequent freezing will NAL
n the surface friab1c and in good condition,
nt All spring wheat should be washed
ID strong brine, 60 Us to wash ont the oats Al
Ia other fonl seed md to destroy the smut. 4
n n ter washing, it can be placed on barn tloo
St nt or other similar place, and by frequent ST
-. -. ring, will not injurc for weeks, should Il
" weather prove unfavorablc to SOW. Two,
~. not less than ono and ha1f bushels, shou
& be sown to the acre.
IA Bearded wheat Is surcr crop than the bal
~ though all bearded wheat will give to the f}o
n. ~ slight tinge of yellow. Tie varieties
IL bald wheat arc much the most pleasant
~ handle in binding, but the chaff being thick
ou is more liable to Injury By insects and elina
Mt changes than the beadrd varieties. We ha
~ therefore discarded MI Of the bald wheats
~. Canada Club, Red River, etc.
be CORN. -.
Mt Corn should be planted early. We are nj
IS gathering seyenty-flve bushels to the acre
On On that planted. the first week in May, whit
Its small field planted the last Of May, with
ne good culture and soil, will not turn 0,
as thirty bushels. In planting carly the SC
Is Is must hare but a SLIGHT covering, say half
rs, TO be attached to field roller, so us to ph
=, and roll at the same time. VIII not "a
NJ. advertiser Of McGa1ey's corn planter look
nt this and do the farmers valuable service,
nc must be done BY some one. and at no dist
ST. day. Who will be the lucky inventor?
ne ne We plant two kinds Of corn, but always
tn different parts Of the farm. One Of them
he the Early Red Cob, very prolific and ea
nj variety. The other, q white corn, mostly
ne cob, also. Though We plant now hrgely Of
N. Red Cob, a yellow corn, Jet ne have not be
eft able to decide which is the most profltab
&c, Many Of our farmers have planted larger
IN rietY Of yellow corn, but VIC hare not be
pc able to see the advantage in it. The c:
Il are larger, It is true, but, then, VIC have less
IS them, and they are later In ripening,
e. RURAL
Ii. -----
ar FACTS ABOUTTHE Il. G. C..
tes
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