Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1881-06-23
TOBACCO CULTURE.
How TO Grow the Coming Crop.

EARLY CULTIVATION oF THE TOBACCO YIELD
NECESSARY HOW IT rs TO ~ BOsE.
rue HAWK MOTH AND GRggN TO.
EAcco WoaM--How EX.
TERMINATED.
Cultivation of the tobacco field should
begin IA soon as the young plants have
taken root and begun to grow. This il
from eight to fourteen days after setting
out, depending much upon the weather,
and may easily be told from the chan ged
appearance put on by the plant The
care or carelessness with which they are
set out also has much TO do with their
early start. When planted without due
attention being given to placing the
roots in their natural position the plant
Is frequently set back for weeks, much
to the surprise of the farmer, who can t
understand why some plants are 30
thrifty and others 80 backward. Most
frequently careless planting is the cause
why some plants remain small aud sick.
Unlocking the entire season through.
EARLY CULTURE NECESSARY.
But to return, early cultivation is i'm.
portant. No matter whether the field
Ii grassy or not, nothing brings the
plant along faster than early and thor.
ough cultivation. The ground has be.
come more or less hardened and must
he loosencd up. 1T il not necessary 10
Z, deep. however, only the surface soil
should he stirred the sub soil mu.t be
left intact. Almost any implement
that does the work ciIectualIy may be
/ used. \ cultivator j. most commonly
employed for this purpose. The pref.
ereuce in the South j. often given to
the turning plow, especially when the
fields are grassy. The fact l.. II matter.
little what the name Of the implement
! n. So that it strs the soil thoroughly
and cticctually destroys or keeps down
the grass and weeds. Old land general.
ly requires more cultivation than new.
but the careful farming practiced in
Lancaster county, ~ rule. renders the
grass and weeds easy of exiirpation.
rsE or 1uE HoE.
The hoe is a most important imple.
m"ut in the tobacco field. The cult.
yator does eilectual work between the
rows, but cannot be allowed to approach
the plants too nearly, le.t the tender
rootlets should bc torn or disturbed
/ The earth around the plant cakes aud
must be ,ooseucd 10 permit both sun.
light and moisture to produce their
best effects. To do this the hoe j. called
into rcgut-ition. All grass that grows
close to the plant must be removed by
hand in order not to cndangcr the lat.
ter through a careless blow with the
hoe. In iooseninF up the earth around
the plants care must be taken TO
carefully replace "a much a. may have
been drawn away during The operation.
All dirt that may have hecu thrown
upon any ol the leaves must be care.
fully removed. The ridges must also
be hoed down and the surface made
level. Level cultivation looks much
more workmsnlfkc and pleasant to the
4 eve. when the hoe II employed for the
tr-t time II Is not necessary 10 stir the
-oil much around the plants, but this
must be more freely done during the
Subsequent hoeinEa. Abou: two weeks
after ia" first cultivation. when the
/ leaves are ten to twelve inches long.
the cultlyator and hoe must again be
sent into the fields and the operations
already described be repeated. Some.
times no other cultivation is necessary.
but we advise no ono TO rest here, even
though his field looks clean. The more
foul the field the olteucr il must be
gone over. In fact, it may be laid
down as rule that you cannot Guilt.
4 yate too often or too much. II j. bet.
ter for the ground and better for the
/ tobacco. Well rulverzed soil is one Of
/ the most important items that enter
! into profitable tobacco crop. As the
| plants grow larger. II Is well TO employ
/ a shorter sineletree in order that they
/ may sustain no harm from that cause,
and in this way the process Of cultva-
/ ton may go on until II becomes impos.
| sible longer to pass through the rows
/ with horse. This careful cultivation
I also brings into notice any diseased or
I imperfect plants. All such ought to be
+ removed and their places supplied with
/ large, vigorous plants held in reserve
/ for this purpose. Such as have the cen.
ter bud destroyed, either by insects or
/ accident. will be likely to throw out a
/ number of suckers instead all such
must be at once replaced. In short,
/ there must be no vacant hills and none
/ with imperfect plants on them. A few
/ hundred missing plants in a small field,
/ or more in large one, make large
/ hole in the farmers profits At the end
/ of the season. Should any vegetation
spring up after the tobacco has reached
It's full growth 1t is not necessary to re.
move it, a. it IL no longer able to harm
the crop, aud may even be beneficial in
keeping the lower leaves from becom-
ing sanded or splashed with dirt. Stll.
such field is unsightly in the eyes of
the careful farmer. and he is unwilling
to dispense with any supposed benefits
from this cause rather than have the
weeds where he would prefer to see
clean cultivation. Let it be continually
borne in mind that early cultivation Is
indispensable. II the use of the cult.
vator and hoe is delayed too long the
weeds get start which no amount of
after cultivation Is able TO overcome.
Not only is the erewth of the plant re-
III IsaH al a a /.