Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1876-02-12

lfour experienced growers attestet
to the correctness of the process des
cribed in this essay.l -.
[ have grown this plant for owe
ten years, and have tried many diff
ferent modes of cultivstiDg it. Their,
are more than twenty distinct varie
ties, of which l will only mentio,
the most valuable.
The Yellow Prior, Blue Prior
Orinoco, Little Frederic, Big Fred
eric, Cuba, and Spanish tobacco
These are considered the most valu
able in this state. The Yellow Prio,
aud Orinoco are the most profitable
1 1prefer the Yellow Prior, as it i,
the easiest cultivated and is the fines,
and smoOthest of the many varieties,
Some growers prefer the Orinoco, on
account Of its being the heaviest. /
do not for various reasons; it has
large stiff fibers aud ruffied stalks,
which afford hiding places for insects:
it molds easier, is harder to cure, and
generally does not bring as good d
price as the Yellow Prior.
SELECTING SEED.
In gathering seed, the largest and
ripest bolls should be selected and put
away in dry place. When procur-
ing seed at seed-store, always be
| careful to get aaeso seed. When it is
new it is of dark brown; when old
it is lighter in color.
The seed should be soWn ana time
from the first of FEBRUARY till the
tenth of March but have known It
to be sown as late 40 the tweaty.fifth
Of March and do well. H.; =
The seed-bed should be made on
south hillside, in now loamy ground,
not too dry. Cut off the timber, and
separate the trash from the coarse
wood then rake of the leaves and
brush, leaving the ground perfectly
bare so as to admit the heat of the
fire. Then put the brush GU four or
five feet. thick then put on q thick
layer of the coarse wood, and then
set fire TO it. This should be done
when the ground is in good working
order. Alter the bed Is burnt. the
ashes should lie on till the ground is
cool then tho brands should be raked
OH, aud the ground dug up five or six
inches deep this is best done with
grub-hoe rake and pick all the roots
out, making it loose aud mellow.
Level the surface of the bed, and
1t is ready to be sown. Mix the seed
with dry ashes, 20 as to SOW them
regularly. One tablespoonful of good
seed will SOW bed twenty-five feet
square, and will raise enough plants
TO set i've or six acres. After sowing
as regularly as possible, the bed
should be rolled or tramped with the
feet until it is solid and level; then
cover 1t uD with brush till spring
opens; then the brush should be re.
moved to admit the rays of the sun.
which will soou bring the plants
keep the weeds and grass out of the
bed till the plants are large enough
to transplant. They are handiest TO
transplant when their largest leaf ia
three or four inches long.
SOIL AND PLANTING.
Tobacco can be raised On the mos,
Qualities OF soil but the best is new
hrst years land white oak, hickory.
hazel, or paw-paw land is preferable.
After piowing, the ground should be
narrowed thoroughly, making it as
mellow as possible. Checker it Oft |
with shovel plow, so as to form the
nils about three feet apart make up
small fiat mellow hills. This should
be done by the time the plants are
large enough to transplant. Trans.
planting is usually done with a peg.
sharp at one end, making q hole suf.
hciently large to admit the plant.
press the earth closely around the
roots, i'll the same manner that cab
bage is transplanted.
We generally commence settinu on,
tobacco about the first of june and
continue ill 25th; il set out after
thls, 1t ls not apt to get ripe before
frost.
CULTURE.
AS soon as the tobacco is ont tber.
Is a great destroyer lays hold of the
plant, and often cutting the stem off
[bereby running it. 1t is a species ri
black ground worm, usually Know
as the cut-worm. These mnst ho
ooked after every morning, for thev
10 their mischief IN the night. conse,
luently their sign is easier detected
N the morning, and they have no,
entered deep into the ground. When
he plant makes q start to grow if
'oon gets out of the reach of ihe cn,
worm then all the vacant hills shomIL
'e replanted.
AS soon as the weeds and orass
tart to grow, the hills shou:d bs
craPed down with q hoe. not dis.
arolng the roots Of the plant. By