St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1864-03-03
:agfitnlta' Requirement,
BRIEF ESSAY ON TOBACCO Gull
7 81 Al TCRR. u Il

the urn OF Phelps, Caldwell 4 Co., to-
bacco dealers of Louisville, Ky, 4 per-
son We are assured, we'll posted in the
business. 1t viii be~fouild' to answer
many inquiries We have received oflate
.2in,refs1encesto growing this crgnI s
The Plant Bed.-In open weather
in January, February or March, select
arich spot Of virgin soil; clear the sur.
face of all leaves, burn thoroughly, 50
as to destroy all wild seeds, then III.
three or four inches deep, thoroughly
pulveriziug the soil, Incorporating the
ashes With the burnt earth rake smooth,
removing all litter, and SOW at the rate
of one tablespoonful Of seed tc one
hundred square yards Of surface. Mix
the seed in dry leached ashes, say one
quart of ashes to the spoonful of seed.
It is best to SOW thebed sboth ways
now rake again, then tramp with the
feet and cover with green brush, with.
ont leaves. Remove the brush after
the frost is out of the ground and the
plants besiaatocoser- hs>bed.
The Preparation IF ;he' !>67.-This
crop requires the best soil that you can
have. ''New ground or virgin soil
yields the finest manufacturing leaf !;
but ol6Awell3manured land will give a
larger yield and a richer; heavier article,
which will be, sou ,ht BY the exporters.
The soil should be sthoroushlys caltiva-
ted before the scropt is planted. THE
ground having been we'll plowcd and
yofoss-plowed and narrowed, you will lay
it off three and half feet each way,
and raise small hill in the CHI ok.
You arernov ready1for.
Planting tie C,op.-This you will
do first "season." after your plants are
large enoughLwLed the fist leaves are
three or four inches long, just us you
plant cabbagess .:reblanting pf cou,sc,
until you get a stand. You wtii find
-n'any impediments<in your. way in get
ting. a stand. '*.S-,~ a. ''>'>'.->'-i'
Field Cwhivation will bring into
re4uisition, the pillow and hoe The
ground should be stirred at least once
. week. and not a weed or sprig, of
grass be permitted to show Itself: The
last step in this process, Or the ''layins
1'by of the CROP" consists in drawing up
the earth carefully around the plant
with the hoe. At this stage your first
planting will begin to "come into top"
Or has attained sufficient size to be top
peds.s y s5.. siI3.ss
Topping IS simply arrcsting the
growth of the plant by taking out the
bod, and Is Best done when2the terminal
bud alone has to be removed if it goes
beyond this point much Of the strength
of the plant has been expended in the
- formation of leaves that are lost:
"Prime" off the under leaves up to the
first good leaf, which is usually hands
breadth from The. top otthe hill, then
top, leaving ten leaves at frs, topping,
and reduce as the season advances.
i,; &uckering} and .Wormi"y-Sos soon
las the growthsof the plants is arrested
by topping, it will throw: out "succors'
just above the foot stalk Of the leaves
and around the main stalk. These,
with the horn worm, will now demand
your vigilant attention. Never let
them get start on you. Once week
will, ~ordinnrlys suffice to keep them
'under. Insthe midst of this stauggle
with these two formidable enemies you
will find the first planting 'tbickcning
and changing its color, losing some Of
sits clear deep green. The leaf, if fold
ed between the thumb and finger, will
break readily. These arc soma of the
evidences that it is ripe and ready for
the knife. .-. -, .- -- ->-
TIE outing process, IS very simple.
Split the main stalk down to within two
inches of the bottom | af, then with ono
down, stroke cat the plant off just be-
low the bottom leaf; and in raising place
it on the ground, resting on the top
leaves; so MS IL "falls," or willis
sufficiently, gather up and lay eight or
ten plants together with tile hands to
the sun. The best cultivators do not
scafold in the field, but ,..shang" on
sticks, zone end in the ground, and re-
move directly to the barn.
The curing Of the crop is one Of the
most important steps in its whole treat
ment, and most difficult to describe in
the space Of circular. If house room:
is plenty it may be cured with but lit
> tle, firing, ip6eed with ut firing but if
house room is an object, heavy firing is
necessary it is always necessary when
a,dark rich color is desired. DO not
begin with large fires. Keep constant,
gentl, fires until you attain the desired
color, then press your fires day and
night until the entire leaf is thoroughly
cured. 1t now hangs until you arc
ready for the next step, and until it
Gomez in Tease" for +; II. Z - !, 8
observation-disclosures the leaf is
soft enough not tosbreak or crumb'c in
handling, "str:ke down. and bulk; re-
moving the plants from the sticks, you
lay it 10 bulk. Tic tails slightly tapping
over to preserve the "oder" Now, put
= your best judge Of the article to sorting ;
he will take off all ground leaves, bugs,
: Of cuttings, and the shippers will sep.
arate the different grades, putting the
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