The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1879-05-14
Cultivation of Tobacco, and Pre-
pairing for Market.

pairing Tor Market.
In growing a crop of tobacco, the
first and most important thing is to
secure good seed. While there are
many good kinds of tobacco, we de-
clare our preference for the "Blue :"
and yellow Prior" Our reasons
are, that it makes rich leaf of good
size and small fiber, and is certainly
as easily cultivated and more easily
cured and managed, after it is cut
and housed. OF this kind, the finest
bright wrappers and filters are made
and by a different process in curing,
from It is made the best black wrap
pers, filters and rich export leaf OF
course the foregoing remarks refer
exclusively to lands suitable for grow
ing rich, dark tobaccos. The pre-
ferred seed for the cutting tobaccos,
are the" White and Red Burley,""
and " elbow Twist Bud" although
the Prior tobacco is often grown
in the cutting districts, with marked
success. But each farmer should, by
experience, fnd out what best suits
his peculiar soil.
The serious difficulties in the way
of good prices the first few years,
have arisen from indifferent cultiva-
ton, planting too much to the acre,
or, planting it too close together,
topping too high, and not printing
high enough. Our Judgment is, that
generally eight, and never more than
ten leaves, shonld be left on plant,
and often when it is late, and the sea-
son is bad for its growth, six leaves
would make more pounds and better
tobacco, than eight. We would sug-
gest as general rule, that tobacco
should be planted at least three and a
half feet apart one way, and three
feet the other way, and where the
land is not strong and good, or not
well manured in the.hill or otherwise,
we would suggest even greater dis.
lance. OF course in the 3" cutting
districts" tobacco is planted much
closer together, and topped at from
twelve to eighteen leaves;.:the object
being, to get fine, silky, thin leaf;
while in the sections growing heavy
tobaccos, the object is to get thick,
heavy bodied leaf, with fine texture.
Every farmer must by experience, de-
termine for himself, the time for top
ping his crop, being controlled in a
great measure, by the character of
the season, and the strength Of his
soil.
Curing, is by far the most difficult
part i'll making good tobacco. For
almost all uses, the charcoal and huo
cured tobaccos are preferred, espec-
tally for filters and wrappers. Next
to these two methods, comes the nat
ural or air cured tobacco, which
requires more barn room and special
care. By this method all the cutting
tobacco is cured. A great many per-
sons believe that rich, heavy tobaccos
must necessarily be fired and smoked
to cure them perfectly, but we claim
that the same tobacco cured without
the smoke coming in contact with it,
will find a more ready and profitable
sale. sI4'
The next and almost equally i'm
portant thing, is to classify or assert
the crop closely, before prizing; Sc
Letting each length, color and kind,
and if possible, pricing each length,
color, and kind separately; but if it
should become necessary to mix two
sorts in the same hogshead, prize one
kind in one part of the cask, and put
apiece OF paper or other mark be-
tween, and then prize the other Be
careful 20 avoid packing long and