Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1877-02-22
(For the Herald.)
Tobacco.

As a preparation for writing these
articles | have carefully observed the
the operations of Tobacco planter,
who lives next to me, and who got the
top price in Lynchburg for his last crop.
/ have piled him with questions innu-
r,erable and have not neglected other
opportunities TO get information.
The seed-bed may he prepared, and
the seed sown any time from the middle
Of December till the middle Of March.
1t is best, in order to be certain OF
plants, to sow several beds at intervals,
IS the state Of the soil and the weather
viii allow.
The Tobacco planter selects for his
Seed-bed southern, or south eastern
exposure, warm and dry and protected
from cold winds generally in the
woods, some say because the plants are
less apt to be troubled by insects
think for the sake Of convenience to
wood. lie only desires TO cultivate the
surface of the seed-hed. therefore he re-
moves all the rocks and roots and
makes it, asneasly as possible, per-
fectIy clean. Then he burns the bed
He first throws down cross-logs, that
answer to the andirons Of your fireplace,
and places upon these logs and brush,
over a part Of the bed. Kindling his
fire. he let's it burn undisturbed fer an
hour or two; then, with hooked poles,
which remind one of the wooden poles
we used to see in the stove at the schoo!
house in our younger days, he draws the
fuel to another part of bed, and so con-
tinues till he has burned over the whole
surface. I'll stop to inquire why he
roasts the ground before sowing the
seed. @1
The next step he takes is TO apply
susno Or. ether thoroughly pulverised
manure, which he IS sure has no seeds
ofweeds or grass in it. The soil is then
chopped ND with the hoe and thoroughly
raked.
The seed are sown at about the rate
Of two tabiespoonstul Of seed to every
100 square yards. He mixes the seed
xi.h old ashes and sows one half the
seed IN one direction, and the other
hall across the first sowing. This
ensures regularity. And now if on,
Tobacco planter has broad fat foot o.
his own, he will have Use for It for the
whole surface Of the bed must be
tcodden. He puts on thics, covering
Of thrush, and does not remove it till
there IS no danger Of frosts. It has been
proposed of late to burn the. bed with
kerosene instead Of wood as less ex
pensixe and laboricus. / have not beer
able to indany who has tried it, and dc
rot know how It win succeed. I. il
~ 'nased ttat it VIII take ten gals. O
X 100 square yards Of handsome
raised plants in hot bed !; bu
young tobacco plants are very delicate
and the hot bed is likely to burn then
up fnot very closely watched; or they
may come out Of the bed so tender tina
they viii not stand-setting,
Il our tobacco planter can afford it
he sprinkles little guano and plaste
over lis growing plants occasionally t.
push them forward. lie must alst
aght the hy-the great enemy Of plan
beds. His best ammunition will be DR.,
fresh ashes, or newly slaked lime
sprinkied on the leaves OF the youn!
plants. 1t has been estimated, tina
there has not been over half a crop c
tobacco IN Virginia this year, becaus,
Of the ravages Of this insect.
Be careful to keap ont every wee
and blade OF grass is an e2hortatiol
which must no. be disregarded.
In the preparation Of tie sol 70
planting the chief object is to maxi
it -iea aid mellow. Enew ground Their
mVstnot be left anything that VIII m
pede the cultivation Of the plant. Tn
underground must be grubbea up, tn
ground thoroughly ooultered, and al
the roots carefully gathered and burned
The ground is then listed with tn
pl0w If the stumps will allow it. T
LIST means to throw the surface soil int
small parallel ridges and from these ar
afterwards formed the hills by the US
Of the hoe. 1.-THE ground is very rougl
or unusually steep this work must b
doue with the hoe alone.
Tobacco grows best on new ground
but it will pay and pay well on old land
Don't forget however that rich an
mellow is the word for the farmer ofol
land as well as new.
A good clover fallox plowed dow
IN the fall, well manfred AID ploWe
again in the spring and well puiverize
MAKES good preparation for tobacco
have noticed that the tobacco plan
dies in low wet places in meadows.
would therefore advise that you plan
no wet lands unless they are frs
thoroughly drained.
Ihaye written enough for this tune
We will see in our next how TO make til
hills.
Time to SOW Grass SEEDS,