Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1873-09-12
Farm and FareSade.
TOB.1CCO GROIVv.VG.

M. Editor Last year the tobacco fever
broke out in my neighborhood with such
extreme violence that for time it seemed
certain that every acre of tillabe land must
be given up TO the weed. This year it APP
pears less frequently and in nilder FORM.
1 had the fever bad last season I havnt
felt any symptoms of ii the present sum-
mer.T raised an acre of tobacco in 70;
this season I am raising beans. Some peo-
pie think it strange that / should change
from tobacco 10 beans. l think it strange
that every one who "knows beans don't
raise them instead of tobacco.
1t is said that wise men learn from the
experience of others. Presuming that the
readers of the Times are all wise men or
women-I beg leave TO lay before them
my experience in tobacco growing.
A man,in Connecticut advertised seed TO
sell of very superior variety of tobacco.
sent and got some. 1 thought it advisia-
bic to raise the best About the goth of
April-the season was backward-I pre-
pared my seed bed and sowed my seed in
the most approved manner. Then the
campaign opened in earnest. 1t became
very dry and was obliged to carry water
every day and wet down the seed bed in or
der to keep the wind from blowing it away.
Then my hens became possessed with an in
sane desire to scratch on ii and l was forced
to place them in close confinement. Conso-
quently we had no eggs and heavy wealth
er in the kitchen.
In about two weeks something came up
which my wife and the, children advised
by the neighbors, pronounced TO be totnc-
co. A good deal of stuff also came up
which evidently was not tobacco. The
weeds throve remarkably we'll l never saw
weeds do better. One day the boys and l
went 10 work and pulled them all up. 1t
was pretty slow business. At first we
thought it was fun, but we finally decided
that it wasn't The tobacco, however, look
ed very nice when left alone. 1 ielt rather
proud of it. - went down to the store in
the evening and Dragged about it. The
next day neighbor called who had had
some experience with tobacco. 1 called his
attention to my plants. swelled up con-
siderably and asked him if he had seen
any that were larger. He examined the
bed critically and expectorating about
gill of sheep wash, remarked: "Wall,
neighbor, I don't see no tobaker, but l
yum, you've got some likely mullen Plants
thar"
My dignity and solf-posession were
good deal disturbed by this intelligence.
To say that was thoroughly mad would
be drawing it mild. However. I didn't
swear am not profane man. Possibly
1 may have mentioned that seedman's
name in connection with an assortment of
adjectives that wouldn't look well in a
Sunday school library book, but am not
quite certain. Indeed, 1 find it difficult to
recall the precise tenor of my discourse on
that occasion. But / am positive that /
didn't swear. Mrs. s., says 1 didn't. 1
am glad now that didn't. After mature
reflection am forced to admit that it may
have been tobacco seed that 1 planted after
all. Mrs. S., thinks it probable that l
pulled up the tobacco with the weeds. At
any rate it is no more than just to give the
seedman the benefit of every doubt.
My neighbor promptly and generously
offered to supply me with plants at $500
per thousand. 1 closed with the offer at
once, 1cellnS lnanklul tndI IToNluence Hdu
located me among such kind and sympa-
thizing neighbors.
At the proper time for setting the plants
1t was very hot and dry. l waited two
weeks for rain, but none came. A very
nice, Gentlemanly young fellow came,
however, with some patent tobacco sprlnk-
lers to sell. In the course of his eloquent
address he assured me that with the aid of
one of his sprinklers could transplant to-
bacco during the hottest and dryest part OF
weather, with great rapidity and without
in the least checking its growth. pur-
chased two. With tho assistance of tho
sprnklers, my boys, three hired men, and
a horse for drawing water, / got half an
acre set the first day with nice large plants.
Before the next night they were all dead.
The remorseless sun had killed every one
of them.
My neighbor advised me to cover the
plants as fast as they were set out with wei
grass. l set three quarters of an acre In
accordance with his suggestion. The fol
lowing night gale of wind turned up and
blow the top Of my tobacco field off, plants
and all.