The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1880-03-18

LOUttUUf1I .fICm u Oech.t
Or better still Rake over nicely the
plat to be burned, then place .dewn
poles from two to four inches in diameter,
three and a half to four feet apart, over the
entire surface to he burned. Then place
brush thickly over the plat and wight
with wood, over which throw leaves, trash
or other ~combustible material, and set the
whole on fire burn at one operation.
But any mode of burning the plat Will
suffice, provided that it is effectually done.
After the pla. has been burned and cooled,
rake off the large Goals aud brands, but let
the ashes remain, as they are essentially a
first class manure. Then coulter over the
plat deeply or break with grub hoes, and
make fine the soil by repeated ch0pping
and raking, observing not to bring the sub
soil to the surface, and remove all roots and
tufts. Manure from the stable, hog pen or
poultry house, or some reliable commercial
fertilizer should be chopped into and thor
oughly incorporated with the soil while pre-
pairing the bed to be sown. Experience
has demonstrated that is better to use both.
But beware OF using manure containing
grass seed. The judgment of the planter
must guide him in the amount of fertilizing
material to be applied at this stage; but it
were well to reminG him that the tobacco
plant rarely responds te homeopathic doses
of plant food, but that the allopathic usage
a1its it best
Sow at the rate of a tablespoonful on every
fifty square yards at first sowing, and later
resow with a heaping ~teaspoonful over the
same surface, to secure a good stand. In
jury by frost or bugs may require a third or
fourth sowing. Sow a little thick rather
than too thin to meet contingencies, and
secure a good stand in time.
The best way to sow the seed is to mix
them thoroughly with a fertilizer or dry
ashes, and SOW once regularly over the bed,
reserving seed enough TO cross SOW to pro-
mote regularity. The tobacco seed is the
smallest of all farm seeds, and consequent
ly requires a hight covering. If the seed
are sown before the Goth of February, the
best way is to firm the surface of the bed
by treading it over closely, but if sOwn Ia
ter, sweep lightly over with a brush or
light rake. The run surface drains through
the bed, with inclination enough to pass off
the water. To do this properly run them
of four or five feet apart with the foot,
then open with a narrew gTubbing-hoe to
the depth of three or four inches. Then
trench deeply around the outside of the bed,
to ward off surface water and prevent wash
ing
Mu1ching and Corering.-H G hair whip
pCu uuC duO SSdttCICu SFCI Tx DCu, dttIdCtS
and retains moisture, protects the plants
from frost, and acts as a manure. There is
no better covering for a plant bed, but un-
fortunately it is rarely ever in full supply.
Fine brush should be placed thickly over
the bed, or if not handy, cover with straw
or chaf free from grain. A covering Of
some such material is necessary, or tho
young plants are likely to be killed by frost
or suffer rom drought. and they thrive bet
ter from some protection.
A Standing Plant Bed.-Every planter
ought to have a standing plant bed, which
may be secured in the following way:
Some time in July or August select one
of the best old plant-beds, and with hoes
shave down the green plants over its entire
surface. and cover over thickly with straw
or leaves, then place green brush over the
bed and weight down with wood. When
the whole is dry, sometime in the late fall or
early winter, set on fire, and thus reburn
over the bed. Then chop and rake fine,
SOW and trench as when first prepared.
Repeat the same operation every year. and
if the bed is MANFRED properly it will i'm
prove and prove a stand by for many years.
Unburned Beds.-Plants may be raised
by going into the forest, selecting a most
rich plat. and after raking Of the leaves,
coultering or chorping the surface fine,
manurine heavily aid sowing the seed.
But such beds rarely hold out we'll if the
season is dry. They never repeat we'll
after the first 'drawing" like burnt beds;
which are more reliable for a successive
supply of plants as the season advances.
Time of Sow1ng Seed.-The time for
sowing varies with the latitude, variety
and season. Between the parallels of 80
and 40 degrees north, comprising the great
tobacco belt, beds may be sown any time
between the lst of January and the 2Oth of
March, and the sooner the better for the
bright grades, which ought to be planted
to mature, ripen and yellow, preparatory to
being cured early in the fall, when more
successful GU iags are usually made. Vel
low tobacco ought to be planted out IL
May, but June paintings usually do best in
heavy dark grades. The planter will con-
suit his interest by sowing at the proper
time to suit the grade he desires to raise.
Plants set out after the 10th of july
rarely pay for growing and handling, and