Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1872-03-26
THE HERALD.
FARM TOPICS.
On the Cultivation Of Tobacco.

81
select dry, warm piece OF ground,
with q southeast exposure, for my
plant beds, if possible, if not, pro-
tect with close fence from the north
and west winds; if in the field | get
a quantity of brush and sods, pile
them on the place have selected for
he'd. and burn them, to destroy weed
seeds and warm the ground then
dio over the beds about three or four
inches deep. If / have the brush
and seeds, | repeat the process then
put on a heavy coat Of fine manure,
rake off clean and smooth, then roll
or in any way make the bed smooth
and hard stir the surface OF the beds
lightly az possible with fine tooth
rake for the purpose of spreading
the seed more scantly, mix with ash
es, sand, rotteniwood, or saw dust !;
sow at the rate of one tablespoonful
to the square rod Of ground roll or
in some way make tho beds hard ;
cover the beds with fencing Gas a
matter Of economy the lumber can
be used for fence ITO keep them moist.
As soon as the plants begin to grow,
take off the boards and keep the beds
moist. not wet, and free from weeds.
TO sprout the seeds, mix with rotten
wood or saw dust, the same as for
sowing; keep moist and warm the
sprouts will start in eight or six days.
II requires experience. would ad''
wise any and all not to depend upon
il for their plants. If not sprouted
enough, it does very little good, If
too much, they will break or bruise
the sprouts and destroy the plants
Next the field. Select sandy loan
soil. the poorer the better; black
prairie or limey clay soil is not
rood nor is any new land ; the first
crops will be thick and leathery with
a fatty appearance and have dirty,
filthy taste; the stem and veins Of
the leaf will be woody and have a
white, frosty appearance; when
smoked it will sputter, smell filthy
and soon become moist wants heavy
sweating. As no good tobacco can
be grown without manure, and very
rich at that have put on from III
teen to twenty cords Of manure to
the acre every year, on the same
piece of ground, for forteen years, as
the longer tobacco is grown on the
same piece Of ground tho finer and
more silky it becomes Spread the
manure and plow first OF May
again the first Of June. As soon as
the plants are large enough to set,
ridge the land four feet from center
to center, make the hills two feet
from center to center, press them
down with the hoe to keep them
moist and the plants will set firmer /;
then set the plants. If dry or clear
weather, water and cover with grass;
hoe often; keep off all the worms ;
Cobalt (hy powder) is used in Mary
land and Virginia to destroy the
moth. As soon as the blossoms open
sprinkle them with the cobalt in the
after part of the day, as the moth
comes on the blossom morning and
evening, and many will be destroy
cd. The time when and how to top
tobacco depends on the season and
the crop. Top the whole row as
soon az the first blossoms appear. Il
tho crop is large and thrifty, and i:
early in the season, can top higher
say twelve leaves if late, or on poor
lands, top low keep off all the suck
ers, as they injure the quantity and
quality Of the tobocco When ripe
the leaf will present " curdly, ridg-
ed appearance, with yellowish color
cd spots on the surface Of tho leaf
and the blade of the leaf will break
when bent short.
Thc Bmlding.-Anything will do
that will protect the tobacco from
the wind and rain. IL must be 80
constructed as 20 give free circula.
ton of air through the tobacco, by
leaving the boards SO that they can
be- opened and closed easily, to pro-
toct the tobacco from the wind and
hot sun AS either injure green as well
as dry tobacco, gives il bruised ap.
pearance and renders it worthless,
except for filters. | hang with twine,
think lath the best. Take any
building, set supports through the
building, eight feet one way and four
the other, nail on fencing edgswsc,
leaving the spaces four and one half
feet in the clear from top to bottom,
yet s1eel point fitted in a tin sock
ct that will fit on TO the lath, saw a
groove in plank that the lath will
tit into, nail it on post, and you are
ready for work. Secure help enough
10 get the crop in as soon rs it is
ripe, as il is liable to damage in
many ways, wind, hail and rust
Rust alone will render q crop worth
less in four or five days. Cut in AZ
ter part of the day As soon as the
tobacco is wilted, take four rows,
pile each way two or three plants in
a pile put towards the center for
convenience in loading. Take par
ticular care that it does not heat or
burn. | have known il TO burn in
one hour after it was cut. Draw it
before eleven o'clock the next morn
ing, unless it is cloudy, lest the TO-
bacco becomes so heated, if it does
not burn, that it will cure green. -
Handle with great care, mot as you
would cord wood to avoid bruisin e
or tearing the leaf, as either is rs bad
rs burn or frost. Tobacco hauled
in warm must be hung Immediately
or spread thin, as it will heat, not
sweat, and will cure almost as green
as il was when il came from the field.
String six large or seven small
plants on one lath. 1t wants eight
inches square for o large plant TO
hang in to cure well and not burn
ia word. so il will not rot on the
poles. Hang the tobacco in q con-
venient place, and in the morning
before the dew is off, pass it into the
loft, whore it is TO remain Keep
the building open the first three OF