St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1864-03-31
99ritalttlral Department
TOBACCO CULTl'RE.

From the Minneapolis Alias.
Spade the ground in the fall after
pulveriz:n5 the soil, then pack it. If
On new soil, the bed should be pre-
pared compost ip ad lition. The beds
shold be long and narrow, in order that
they may lie ssaissily kept free from
weeds.
n tablespoonful Of seed is sufficient
for square rod. About the first Of
April SOW the seed, in an even manner,
over the surface and pack i: hard, TAX
ing great care to have the bed lercl, or
the seed will be washed out of its place
when you water it, which should be
done quite often. a window shou 4
be kept over the bed 'host Of the time.
The bed should be kept sheltered from
storms Of wind and rains, and from too
much sun. This is better way to
raise plants than in hot-bcd.
Plow your ground in the ta!l fall
blowing is good, it kills the cut:wb-m
and prepares the soil for good crop
plow again in the spring, after you
have given your ground good coat of
manure then harrow it we'll. There
is nothing that will pay you so good a
profit in the culture of tobacco as man.
uring thoroughly.
Set your plants from the LIST to the
10Th Of June. Mark your ground by
hand, both ways, ~ BY feet. Set in
a damp day, taking your largest plants
from the bed-always before you pull
them up, water your bed very thor
oughly-set as you would cabbage
plants. You may raise your ground by
burrows if it is too damp.
Cultivate as you would corn the
cultivator is bntter'than plow. Keep
out the weeds.
When it is about going to seed, pinch
of five or six inches of the top then
watch for suckers, removing them uu-
til harvesting time.
Wopns-nope have appeared in this
country, and will noty perhaps, for ten
years-if ever.
Sandy soil is thebest and uuickcst,
and the tobacco will lie Of better eual,
ity.. Clay soil will be SLOW, but will
produce a thicker leaf-not so valu-
able.
The time to cut it. Up is from the
18th Of August to the LIST of September.
You may know when to do this part of
your work by the spots on the leaf, cf a
daPpled character or appearance. Cut
it in the morning and let it wilt, and
hang it in your shed in tue afternoon
or evening. Poles should be placed at
30neenient distances, and the plants
'ht2gcn them, bottom upwards. Small
openings should be LEFT for air to >circu-
late for two or three days, in your she,,
then it should be made quite tight, 50
that the air caaEct break the leaves or
move them violently.
When the ribs on the leaves are dry,
take down your tobacco, in damp day,
and pack or cord it up with the butts
out: When so done, press it firmly
with some heavy weights, so that it
shall not dry out for ten days; then it
will be ready for stripping al your. con-
venience.
Two persons should be engaged in
stripping, so that it may be sorted at
the same time One should take the
poor leaves, those of the poorest quality
from the top and bottom, and the other
remaining leaves. holding them in his
hand until he has enoughfor a 'hsnd !"
then wind a leaf around the base of the
buach and put them in box, in cord-
ed form, with the butts outward then
press them hard. Fhe box should be
81 feet long, and % feet wide and
deep. If properly packed, each box
will contain 400 to $50 poulds.
From one;half to one ton can be rails.
ed on an acre of good ground, if proper
~ MANFRED. 1t leaves the land in
good order for any crop the next year
well manfred and free from weeds.
Can the Atlus give any information
in regard to the proper method Of pre-
pairing chewing tobacco, whereof inqui-
~ was made few weeks since by a