Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1882-03-20
THE TOBACCO MARKET.
SEED LEAF AND HAVANA.

For tho Week Ending Saturday, March |
Is, 10 A. n.
United States Tobacco Journal.
The transactions Of the week were
small. Tho uncertainty Of the tax ques- |
tion has kept many operators from the
market. Now that it has been set at rest
definitely, we may expect revival of
busipess. A transfer of packing of 81
Pennsylvania is reported, but it is claimed
that it is tut part of a transaction made
at the beginning OF the packing season by
the parties interested. The sales of the
week are given as 700 cases, consisting
mainly Of 81 Pennsylvania, Connecticut
and Ohio at last weeks figures.
Havana showed great activity, fine
goods realizing q premium. Sales, 200
bales.
Sales of seed leaf tobacco rep Orted by
j. S. Gans's Son & Co.. tobacco brokers,
No 131 Water street, New York, for the
week ending March 90, 1882.
go cases 1880 New England wrappers,
IA to 80. 200 cases 1880 Pennsylvania
filters, G to Z, assorted. 10 to II. 331
cases 1880 State, 4, s, Is. $50 cases 1850
Ohio-fillers, to IS assorted. to 6ss.
wrappers, 10 to IA. 200 cases 1880 Wis
consin, to IL. "A cases 1881 Pennsylva-
mia, p. t. Total 1871 cases.
Testing Tobacco Seeds.
g Country Gentleman.
1t is more necessary to test tobacco
seeds before sowing the plant bed than
any aOther seed planted by the farmer.
They are very small and easily affected by
extreme cold and moisture, and by frost,
after being sown. Take small piecc of
cotton batting, wet it thoroughly. and
place in a teacup or goblet, and scatter
thereon half teaspOOnful of tobacco
seeds. The cotton should be kept moist
with tepid water, and If the seed is good
it will sprout in a few days. do not re-
gard this, however, az a sure test, for
have been unable to germinate seed in this
way which sprOuted when sOwn in the
plant bed. Old seed will sprout sooner
than new, and is by MANY preferred. The
question is often asked at what age to-
bacco seed loses its power to germinate.
have heard many answers to this question.
Some seedsmen and growers say at 10
years others at'3O. The largest grower
of tobacco seed in this country, who deals
H. only one variety white Burlcigh), and
harvested last season 5000 pounds of to-
bacco, claims to have grown the crop from
seed IL years old. Major Ragland, of
Virginia, who doubtless exports moro to-
bacco seed than any other grower or seed
firm in this country, and whose crop aver
ages from 80 to 90 bushels yearly, thinks
that very old seed may be sOwn.
Another way to test the seed is to throw
4 little into the fire or on the stove. If It
snaps it is said to be good if it does not,
it is called poor. 1t is common custom
now with many growers not to SOW dry
seed, scattering it directly from the hand
l~nNn
loan, Oh the plant bed, but to partially OF
wholly sprOut it in the house before SOW
ing it on the bed. There are, SO many
ways ofpreparing the seed in this manner
that l cannot describe them all, but will
alludo to a few of them. The plan recent
Iy adopted of taking two or moro sods
about tho size Of a common shovel, and
about two Or three inches thick, and
sprinkling seed upon it, is very good
way, and is said to be almost a sure
method of ascertaining the terminating
power of the seed. MOisten the back OIL
the sod with tepid water, and then scatter
seed thereon place in a warm room and
cover with light cloth.
Tho better way to sprout tho seed q
think) is to obtain from the trunk of a de
cayed apple tree a quantity of rotten Woo
Chat which is fine and light) and place il
shallow box Or old milk pan and mix thu
seed we'll with the wood mould. Moiste1
and keep in a warm place. If the seed j:
good it will be suro to germinate. BE
careful not to SOW too early, since after
sprouting, the young seedlings grow very
fast, and often il too forward when being
sown in the bed, break and arc thereby
damaged. At the south some growers
SOW the seed in the plant patch in the fall
and we have known growers in the Con
necticut valley to do the same, but it is no
the common way and we can hardly advo
cate tho practice. Our growers do moi
usually make plant beds enough
some SOW only enc bed, and if that one
fails to yield plants we are forced to buy
or beg, and in either case have to wal
until others have finished "sctting.'
Havana seed is likely "to Gomez ant
when they once appear on the surface
grow very fast. They literally crowd on
another in the bed and grow less " stocky
or spreading than seed leaf plants.