The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1881-01-19
farm aud Garden.
Conducted by DR.. THOMAS POLLARD, State
Commissioner of Agriculture
White Burley Tobacco.

farmers of Virginia to try this tobacco
now so popular and so much sought after
by manufacturers, to the detriment o
our dark and monde script tobacco. l.
seems, as far as We can learn, to require
light loamy, rich soil. = Our river bot
toms, and rich high lands, will probably
suit. But there is something peculiar IL
the soil of Kentucky where it seems to
succeed so we'll. This soil is devoid OF
grit, and is fine and powdery, and scarce
" adheres to any degree to the tobacco
leaves. A great objection manufacturers
make to our tobacco is that it is go
gritty" Could not this biection be OBJ
waited in measure by not printing too
high, aud throwing away the bottom
leaves at the time of cutting the tobacco
We only make the suggestion for tobacco
raisers to consider. We give below the
I following letter furnished me by the Com
missioner Of Agriculture of Kentucky,
and written, as he says, by the "best
raiser of White hurley in the county of
Mason, county celebrated for its fine
lands and for the successful production
of this variety of tobacco. This tobacco
succeeds much better on limestone land
Where this does not exist naturally, the
land should be lined or marled if posi-
bic.
Mr.. c. e. BoOman, Commissioner of Agriculture
Of Kentucky:
Dear Sir-You can inform your Virginia
friend that the white hurley tobacco" is raised
here very successfully on either rich limestone
land or rich sandy bottoms. If his soil is
extraordinarily rich, he should set his plants
closer together, say 2x34 feet. This will prevent
his tobacco being coarse He should not pillow
his tobacco much after planting, but cultivate
with the hoe The land in our County (Mason)
is very fertile and often yields two thousand
pounds per acre; and the tobacco brings higher
prices in market than tobacco raised in other
districts. When there is very rapid and
luxuriant growth, we top high from fifteen to
eighteen leaves, which prevents the fbres be-
coming large. If the soil of your correspondent
Is at all ada ted to the production of tobacco by
following the above directions he will raise
very desirable article.
Yours, &C., WI. Ho1roN,
Near Maysville, Kentucky.
1t will be observed that though it is a
light tobacco, very heavy crop is pro-
duced to the acre; this is done by close
planting and high topping. We under
stand that the seed of the d White hurley
can be gotten from Allison & Addison, of
Richmond, Va.
Early History of Agriculture in Virginia,
by NJ. E. Cabell, of Va.
We have CHANGED upon the above pub
llcation with which we have been much
interested. Mr.. Cabell describes the mode
of cultivation in the colonial period of
corn, tobacco, wheat, rye, oats, barley,
grass, the implements used, the stock
raised, and the efforts in grape culture
and wine making, and in silk raising.
He first makes some interesting introduc-
tory observations, and passes high 'eulogy
on Capt. John Smith, as an eminent and
the earliest benefactor of Virginia agri-
culture" In speaking of tobacco " it was
ordered Gin 1640) that all which on in
spection proved bad, and one half the
good, should be burnt and in 1866 when
all markets were glutted, it was deter
mined that for one year planting should
he wholly suspended" A remedy which,
if adopted in the U. States now, would
greatly relieve the markets of the world
OF an overplus, and benefit the planters.
Tobacco, Mr.. Cabell says, which had sold
as high as IS. per pound, and sometimes
higher before 1913, had fallen to 3d. per
pound OF the other things he tells us
of the wheat in these early times, he
says that Col. Landon Carter, of Rich
mond county, published in 1889, a me-
moir on the wheat weaVil, and thinks it
was introduced on his and other farms in
some SSc1L50n aOheat which had been
brought into Virginia by Capt. Brooke of
the ship "Virginius." His remedy for it,
which he says was entirely successful,
was to harvest early, put the sheaves in
a large NOV, and cover with hay or
beaten straw, so thick as to exclude the
ar: Previous to this, however, Colonel
Chiswell told Col. Byrd in 1882, that he
had a sure remedy against the same pest;
that was to put a bag of pepper into
every heap or cask, to which the insect
have such an antipathy they will not ap-
proach it. (Westover manuscripts Mr..
Cabell says he has found reason to believe
1'naothHas a rat5ve Of Virginia, and quotes
authorities supporting this position. The
seeds were carried from Virginia to N
carolina by Mr.. Timothy Hanson and
hence the name of Timothy. The stock
IN these early times was of common
character, but increased rapidly. ",SheeD
thrive and increase there nightly = +
and there is as good wool as the finest in
England, and | doubt not, but with good
management, the climate will produce as
hne as any in Spain" This prediction
mas been fulfilled ,9lDi3e wore ,,o,,,, NO