Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1881-05-12

not intended for the food Of the tobacco
crop alone. Wheat commonly follows
tobacco, and il IL a well known fact
that the crop of this grain grown on
tobacco land il commonly the best rails.
ed on the farm. Therefore, in Inanur.
ing tobacco land you are at the same
time providing for the succeeding crop
AZ well. Always bear that in mind, and
then haul out few loads more. What
tue tobacco cannot make use OF will
most likely give you an increase Of five
bushels per acre in your wheat crop.
PLowIsG THE LAND.
| Tobacco ground must not be scratch.
ed over, but plowed. and plowed deeply,
especially at the frst turning Of the soil.
The roots go down considerable dis.
tance, and the ground must be prepar.
ed to that end. The subsoil must not
be turned up, however, as that would
prove an injury rather than a benefit.
Where a second plowing is intended,
| the earliest period the season will allow
should be chosen TO plow down the
manure. The second plowing may be
| done week or two before the time Of
| planting comes around, not 10 much
because unfayorable weather may inter
vene and the land not be ready when
the plants are large enough 10 be set in
the tield. The prudent planter will 30
regulate these matters as not 10 be
caught mapping, but be prepared TO
avail himself of every favorable condi.
ton of weather that may present itself,
| and thus lose no time in giving his crop
the most favorable start the circum.
stances will allow.
TnE PROPER CONDITION or THE GROUND.
The old adage, "A good preparation
Is half cultivation il no where more
applicable than in the thorough prepa.
ration of the tobacco field. Let no labor
be spared TO put the soil in perfect con.
ditIon. The more complete ard thor
ough the illth, the more likely il final
success TO attend the growers efforts.
The cultivator and the harrow should
be put into the field until every clod
and lump has disappeared, and IL looks
more like carefully prepared garden
bed than anything else. The more fre.
quently the field is gone over in this
way, the less likely are the worms TO
bother you, or the grass 10 annoy YOU
Let the latter get no foothoid thus
early, and the field will be all the better
for IL the entire season through Moth.
ing more ohends the tobacco planters
eye than q tobacco field in which the
few weeks old plants are hidden from
sight by a rank growth OF grass and
weeds. 4 few acres OF tobacco ground
are soon gone over with harrow and
every time this Is done another step in
the direction OF final success has been
made. The season may be dry. and
II. IL.
ground into the best condition unu-
sual and persistent efforts must. there.
fore. be made 10 do the best possible
under the circumstances. If the grower
has availed himself OF the earliest OF.
portunity the season afforded him Of
preparing his ground properly, he will
attain the desired tilth and not be com.
pelled TO trust TO luck and the elements
when the last moment arrives. Ii pays
TO take time by the forelock in this
matter a. IT does in many Others.
THROWING Up THE RIDGES.
The ground having been thoroughly
gone over and brought to its highest
possible condition it is ready for ridg.
ing. The fayorite implement with our
farmers for this work is the common
plow. II is not well TO plant on an
even surface, As heavy rains may in
undate the young crop and do it ire.
parable injury. The ridge is made by
throwing two furrows together from
opposite sides. These should be about
eight inches high and raked even at
the top, all stones, clods and rubbish
being carefully removed. After this is
done the ridges should not be higher
than six inches. In a wet season a
greater elevation might do no harm,
but it would hardly be beneficial, while
in dry one the plants would certainly
suffer from drouth. The ridges having
been made, q man should go over the
field with some stick OF proper length,
or = wooden compass OF the requisite
expansion, and mark out where the
plants are TO be set. Another person
with : hoe should come after him and
cut down the Tow slightly at the mark.
ed places and press the place lightly
with the back of the hoe 10 provide a
firm and level bed in which the plant
may be set.
DISTANCE BETWEEN THE ROWS AND PLANTS.
Considerable difference Of opinion ex.
lists as 10 the proper distances at which
the rows should be apart, and also as
TO how closely the plants should be set
in the row. The former varies from
three to four feet and the latter from
twenty-five TO thirty inches. These mat
tiers should be controlled by the quality
Of the coil aud the kind OF tobacco
planted. Where the soil Is thin, and a
heavy growth cannot reasonably be ex.
pected, three feet between the rows
may be enough. When Havana seed''
is planted, three feet will also be ample.
When, however, the soil is naturally
rich, and has been heavily mAnured
besides, four feet is not too close. We
have seen 9 crop Of "Pennsylyania Seed.
leaf y and OF ''Glesner" at maturity com.
pletely hide the gro=nd when planted
at this distance, showing that any near.
er distance would have given inle.
rior results. Extremes are, however,
to be avoided in this matter a. in all
a ksfx.s IL