The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1880-04-01
she tarm.
1OBACCO.
From the Seed to the SalesroOm.
BY K. L.. RAGLAND, OF HICO, VA.
(Contiaued from last weeh:,

May, and the land IS moist With the winters
sap, by planting in the afternoon the hills
made the same day. Ii properly planted,
very few of the plants will live. Observe To
draw the plants one by one from the bed,
and handle SO as not to brulSe them. 1t Is
q waste of time and plants, but wait until
they are of proper size--the largest leaves
about two and a half to three inches wide.
Put a basket of plants In the hands
of a boy or girl, who drops Il plant
On each hill, dropping IN one or two
rows according to age or eXp"rIness.
The men follow, with each a planting
beg made ,of hard wood, SIX inches long, one
and a quarter inehin diameter at large end,
and taperlns to Il point Each planter takes
a hand plant to start with tuuless the
dropper hastlearned TO drop two plants on
the first hllI(. and pushing his planting beg
some two inches into the hill. wltldraws the
neg, inserts the plant, and by "a dexterous
movement Of the peg and the knucktes OF
the eft hand, closes the dirt gently but
compactIy around the roots. He then picks
up the liant on the hill as he moves Tor
ward, and by the time he reaches the next
hill has adjusted the plant IN his baud to IN
sert into the hole III the 1ext hill. Thus
the hand pant facilitates the work.
Try it. and YOU will be convinced. There Is
art il planting properly. IL l. shown IN the
increased lltttlitT VI HNlIe ilDiuiICllNN Via
test >urerior work But why enter into
such minute details? say some. That you
NAV start right. <hun the errors of lneXpeI l.
ence, and plactice at the start the best
methods, as demonstrated by successful
practice.
If the soil is dry when the hills are made,
then 1t Will require "A season FOR planting.
The best come with showers 1t Is not
well to plant soon aIter Il soaking ram, but
wait until the land settles. Ii the ptaut> are
good. seasons favorable, aud the planting
we'll done. very few will die. ii tran>plantel
before the 10th OF July. After that time
al is uncertainty. Hence the Importance
of getting a and before that time.
After planting over. 1t viii be necessary
to repiant frOm tInte to time Il, seasons uc-
cur. embracing every opportunity to I'll up
the missing hits. II cut wornlsa t trouble
some, hunt for and DESTROY every one a. tar
as possible for 1t Is useless to put Il plant
in a hill where one of these PESTS has taken
up quarters, and expect 1t to live and grow.
Cultrntiug.- 1t Is important To COM
mence cultivation soon after planting. 10
loosen the soil and start the plants growing.
just at this point many planters fail to do
their duty. which no subsequent work can
atone for. Early. rapid and thorough cut
~tivation IS necessary to produce first class
goods. Ii the preparation has been
tho, OCH. thrice p'oughing, followed each
time with the hand hoe, will suffice for the
crol.
For the first ~ploushing, no implement is
better than the wing coulter, the next best
the cultivator. The second plough ny may
b. effectualIy done with the turning plough
or cultivator Ifgrassy, use the first. The
last ploughing is most effectually done with
three burrows with the single shovel ii fur
row on each side, hen s%pintlng the middle
with the third and last furrow.
Never "scrape down tobacco with The
hoe without putting back on hill or bed as
much dirt as is scraped down. This will
prevent bakln" and save many plants,
should a dry spell follow the hand hoe
working.
Any process which stirs the soil etf.ctual-
" and often and keeps the plants free from
grass and weeds. will constitute good cult
walton, no matter how or with what nipple
ment done. Old land will require more
work In cultivation than new, and dark
grades more than bright. Short singletrees
should be used after the plants are half
grown, to prevent tearing and breaking the
leaves.
The yellow grades should be cleared of
grass and weeds before the first of August,
and not ploughed thereafter; but the hoes
may be used at any time to clear ont the
crop till the leaves commence granting.
The longer tobacco is ploughed the later the
plants will be in ripening, therefore the i'm
portancc Of giving early and thorough cult
vation. Any one who can raise good cab
bage ought to know how to cultivate tobac-
60, as the cultivation is very similar.
PRIMING AND TOPPING.
Under this head there is a wide difference
of opinion. Breaking off the small and in
ferior leaves Of the plant near the ground is
called printing which operation is done
along with the topping" if done at all.
There are advantages for and against prim-
inc. but all resort to topping .plucking out
the seed bud and adjacent small leaves with
the thumb and finger. Some contend that
nulling off the lower leaves saps the plants
and retards growth, if the weather is dry.
That permitting the lower Se leaves to ons remain nam,
On the ad stalk lE;tl p%r9 %spss 't ese appe e1e anes 'i and
s3nu = o--lahlo On the other hand.