The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1884-01-30
useful Hints From a Man Who
has Been There.

has Been There.
Some OF US In this section availed our
selves 0. the hpe weather before Christ.
mas to burn some of our plant beds. 1t
IS yet too soon TO say whether we were
fortunate IN so doing or not, as it some
times turns out that early sown beds arr
not the best, but in the last year tn,
early plants were far the best, and one OF
the early cuttings was worth fully and
three Of the last cuttings. As the wealth.
er IS now clear and windy, the grounds
will soon be dry enough again to burn
plant beds. Some of our friends, who
are for the first time going to cultivate
tobacco this year have asked us to give
our views upon the subject of plant beds
In the Connecticut valley and in tie
older portions of Maryland very frequent
ly plant beds are not burned at all nor is
it absolutely necessary to do so here :
yet it is generally best to do so, for the
following reasons: lst to destroy the
seeds of grass and weeds. 2nd. To
render the soil pliable aud loose. 3rd
To remove acid properties in the soil by
means of the heat aud ashes-(never to
warm the soil as some suppose, as it will
cool out too quickly to hasten the sprout-
ing Of the seed) One may be successful
in raising plants and burn any time from
the middle of November to lst of Marcel
but the month of January is the safest.
Beds sown earlier than this are often
winter killed, or the plants are too for
ward. Those sown later are often killed
out by the dry winds of April-or the
plants are so small that when attack ed BY
the flea bugs they hardly afford them a
mouthful for bite. Well to begin. If
you want to raise good filler get any of
the Orinoko or I Ari-noko varieties.) TIE
Priors-G ooches and Fredericks big and lit
tie are only notifications of it. The big
Orinoko is good but rather buggy. The
Gooch does well almost anywhere, is not
so apt to waste at the ground and bears
heat well, and is said TO be among the
best varieties for the production Of the
fine wrappers or n. G. brights. Select in
tine clay or very fire sandy soil spot
damp, without being sobbed or soured.
near branch or pond, for convene nee
of watering. Virgin land is best. Rake
off the leaves, lay down poles inche. 10
dlameter-upon these poles dry brush
and dry wood, in quantity equal to five
cords to the 100 square yards and if
the day is dry it will burn very readily
with blast; but if the wood is green 1t
will be necessary to commence on one
side and move the wood and fire from
time as the ground becomes, sufficiently
burned. This may be Known by the
ground turning little reddish and be.
coming friable. 1t should be dug up
part by sinking mattock or grubbing
hoe up to the eye, but care should be
taken not to Invert or turn up clay over
the ground, recrop it over with com
mon hoe, rake it fine with good wooden
rake, an iron rake i. better, few farmers
have them. Lay 1t off in little beds or
ands 81 or feet wide. If the land is
very fat Vnd inclined to be wet those
shoald be raised little IN the middle,
but if on the contray, it lies sloping and
f Inclined to be dry, avoid raising the
beds or lands Sow about one table
spoonful Of seed to the 100 square yards |
)r ten steps square. About the last of
February ! spoonful more be sown upon
he beds, as these will come on after and
Tot be in the way of the first sown. The
beds should be whipped well with small
3ru,h, this will help to scatter the seed
more evenly on the bed and bury them |
deep, some however rake |
lightly and then either tramp with the |
eet or pat with hoe, small brush may
hen be placed upon the beds to shield |
he young plants from the cold, and also
o keep the ground moist or damp dog
wood or alder tax make the best brush /
IS they do not hang together like oak
,rush and they are more twiggy. After
he plants are we'll up should the wealth
II turn very cold it would be well to
hrow some pine or cedar brush across
lpon the top of the brush, care should
however be taken to remove them a.
oon as the cold snap is over. The other
rush may remain upon the beds til
ometime In April, then 1t il perhaps
,est to remove them partly at a time
wing to the plants being tender. As
or manuring | prefer to dig into the
eds few wagon loads of good hog ren
manure. free from noxiou. seeds) or
bout 80 lbs coed fertilizer to the 100
quare yards. | do not like stable ma
ure even when free from grass seed and
ats, as it makes the ground puffy. and
ffords the flea bug nest thatit delight.
D. The dirt from under old kitchens
nd cellars make a good manure for a
liant bed. Hen manure is good for the
liant. but i. comm only full ofgra.s seed.
)thers prefer not to manure the beds till
ometime after the plants are up; they
op dres. with some good fertilizer, tax
lg care either to rinse it off well from
be plants or to put 1t on just before
ain and let the rain do 1t lake a bar
el, oil halffull of stable manure and about
alf bu.hel hen manure, fill with water,
rom this water the plants and they will ,
row very rapidly.
Now have not written this for my old
rmy friends down on Flat River, or my
ID friend Cash down in Granville, who
ent me the Gooch tobacco seed. Well.
will just say tha. Gooch didn't stand
he frost of 81 bit better than my 9TH
r kinds-but | am still in the seed and
like it very much. What has been
-ritten is for the new beginners. l want
ome Of my old friends who have not
ood plant land to try the branches, and
the soil is too red or too loose, and
pen from the coarse sand washed upon
to take their wagons, haul upon it a
uantity of good fine cay, such as i.
ood for daubing, burn the land WE'LL,