Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1881-05-12
TOBACCO CULTURE.
How TO Grow the Coming Crop.

wHrS To FLOW TnE GRouSD-son ANp
cogS LANps--THE EEsT soIL-rRTPAR-
iNG TuE TIELps How oIo-E TO rLANT
--Rion LNSB NECESSARY.
The seed bed well under way. the
next care Of the tobacco grower will be
the proper preparation of the ground
on which the crop IA to be raised. Here
quite as much judgment and care must
be exercised NJ in the preparation Of
the seed bed. Thorough preparation of
the soil will tell on the future crop lust
as certainly "a carclcssness will result
in failure. 1t is important. therefore.
to start right and keep right to the end.
HiCH SOIL REQuIETD.
We presume no one needs 10 be told
that the tobacco plant is very cxaciinr
in the matter of soils, and will bc con.
tent with none but the best. lie who
cannot supply this want mi cht as we'll
not undertake the cultivation Of the
crop. Under proper treatment and ia.
yorable conditions tobacco will do we'll
on many soils, but the best seedleaf is
with very few exceptions grown on lime.
stone land. There seems TO be some.
thing especially conducive in this geo
logical formation to the production of
choice cigar tobacco. A warm friab!e
soil, such as is commonly known among
farmers as q sandy loan, resting upon
a Limestone formation. is much the best
tobacco land. Fine alluyial soils, such
ss are found along river bottoms. excel
all others. In many Of the northern
counties of this State there are fine TO.
bacco lands along the Susquehanna and
its tributaries, while those a few miles
distant are comparatively valueless.
Perhaps the best tobacco land in the
world is furnished by the islands in the
Susquehanns.
NEW GsoUNp TuE BTsr.
1t IL equally well known that new
ground, virgin coil that has never
been made acquainted with the plow
and the harrow, is far better than land
which has long been under cultivation.
Ii is on such ground that the best re.
suits in tobacco culture have been at.
tanned. In the Southern tobacco grow.
ing States, where lands are plenty and
cheap. and where forests still cover
much Of the country. new lands are
commonly used. In fact, their system
OF culture necessitAtes such course.
With us here in Lancaster county, this
course il practicable only in exception.
al cases. Our forests are nearly all gone.
and lands seldom .attainable. During
recent years, however, the limited
woods still left have been heavily drawn
upon to supply tobacco ground. II
seems pity that our forests should be
felled solely for this purpose.
the BEST LOCALITIES.
Tobacco ground should be chosen as
well for its locality as for its richness
and productiveness. II should have a
southern exposure, IL possible. II ought
TO be slightly rolling, rather than fat,
on account of the better drainage.
which is of no little importance. Lands
sloping gently upward from the water
courses are preferable to uplands, al.
though these are frequently damaged
by heavy rains and floods. Dry, we'll.
drained soil Is Of much value and inn.
portant in this matter. In many places
the brown or chocolate colored soil of
this county rests upon shivered in.
stead of compact limestone formation,
atfording a most excellent natural drain.
age downward, which relieves the
ground Of its surplus moisture. This is
another Of the many natural advan ,aaes
which the farmers Of this county have
for the. production Of this crop. Al.
though tobacco requires liberal share
Of rain, an excess Of moisture is fatal to
a good crop and 20 fine leaf. This il
why a loamy, friable soil is best suited
10 The culture Of the tobacco plant.