Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1885-02-05
&eading.
A TALK ABOUT TOBACCO.
CHINCES OF THE CULTIVATION OF THE
WEED IN THIS STATE.
GrecnvIc Letter in hareSton News and Courier

Grecnvic Letter in Il larleSon News and Courier
There is reasonable hope that South Car
Olina will in Il short time take her place
among the tobacco-gr0wing States. A few
facts that will not be cOntrOVerted, taken
with experiments already made, fully war
rant that prediction. The proposition is not
one Of theory alone, but one that has already
passed the test of practical demonstration.
That the weed can be successfully grown in
various parts of the State has more than
sufficiently proven by numerous trials, at
least in several of the upper counties, and
/ have seen it growing luXurantly in the
sandy lands Of ColletOn and Orangeburg.
And if it will grow well in these soils, no
argument is needed to further illustrate
that tobacco culture can at once become an
important industry in the Palmetto State.
The curing of the leaf can be as skillfully
done here as in Virginia and North Caroli-
ma, or elsewhere. Experience in this, the
most particular part Of the work, is all that
is needed, and it can be very soon acquired.
The skillful application of artificial heat,
| fue curing, is the means now most COM
monty used. Air-curing and sun-curing are
fast going out of date in tobacco countries,
for the reason that these processes require
long time and greater expense in the pro-
viding of extensive barn room. The Hue-
curing process is quick and thorough, and
|
producing the "brights," which grade is
most eagerly sought by manufacturers for
wrappers" and which commands always
the highest market prices.
The question of the prOfitableness of to-
bacco growing, is naturally the first upon
which the farmers would make inquiry.
On this point am prepared to make some
interesting comparisons and, / trust, to I'M
part some useful information not gener-
ally known to the common run of tillers
of the soil. In this investigation I sought
and obtained the assistance Of Col. IT. j.
Moore, of Spartanburg. Col. Moore is
we'll known and thoroughly progressive
farmer and public spirited citizen of "the
old iron district" and was during its last
term, its able aud jealous representative in
the State Senate. He is a pioneer in tobac-
co culture in this State. This year he will
plant thirty acres in the weed and devote
much of his time to making full and careful
experiments in its cultivation, curing, and
handling.
Few farms in the State bear equal evi-
cient ideas of the adoption of advanced, di-
versified and improved agriculture. a
beautiful herd of thoroughbred Jersey cat
tie browse upon splendid bluegrass lawn
to the front of his residence, flock of i'm
proved breeds Of sheep feed in a pasture hard
by, and enormous and an Well-flled barn
stands on the slope to the rear, extensive
orchards, containing about two thousand
trees, and embracing a hundred varieties of
fruits, lie to the south, east and west, and
we'll appointed apiary of Seventy-fve hives
give inappropriate finish to the scene. The
beauty and fitness of the surroundings are
full apology for this digression.
Col. Moore is now engaged in erecting his
barns, eight in number, for the curing of
his forthcoming crop of tobacco. He is
we'll posted as to the details of the business,
and is confident that it is an industry that
will succeed in South Carolina, and partic-
uarly in those counties lying adjacent to
the mountain ranges. Col. Moore says:
''The soil of upper Carolina is eminently
adapted to the cultivation of the bright leaf
tobacco, being the same in composition as
the soils of North Carolina and Virginia,
where it is raised in its greatest perfection
The soils best suited for it are the light gray
sandy soils formed from the decomposition
of gneiss and granite rocks and the mica
slate, or rocks belonging to what is known
: by geOlOgistsas the Laurentian period. The
growth of these soils is characterized by
chinquepin, chestnut, dogwood, sourwood,
and a variety Of oaks and hickories. The
finest soils in North Carolina for 'brights'
are known as chinquepin and blackjack
lands. BY reference to the geographical
chart of the State, published by the depart
ment ofagriculture, it will be seen that the
whole northwestern section Of the State is
composed almost entirely OF decOmposed
granite and gneiSs with occasional Islands
as it were Of mica slate, together with small
patches of the igneous rocks steatite, trap
and porphyries ThissectiOn ofcountry in
cludes Spartanburg, Greenville, Pickens,
Oconee, Anderson, Laurens, Abbevile, por-
tions of Newberry, Fairfield, York and
Chester, together with small sections of
Kershaw and Lancaster. Draw line
through the State from the northeast to the
southwest from the line on the border be-
tween Chesterfield and Lancaster to the
southern limits of Abbeville on the Savan-
nah, and north of this line you have the
section Of South Carolina best suited to the
growing of bright leaf tobacco. There is no
reason whatever why this section of c0un-
try should not raise as fine tobacco as Viz
ginia and North Carolina if soil has any
thing to do with the production of the finer
grades. The success farmers will meet with
in the business will depend upon the skill
they exhibit in manuring and cultivating,
and especially in curing the crop. And
this brings up the subject of manuring.,.
"The tobacco plant is eSSentallya a lime
and potash plant. twenty-five per cent. Of
the plant is ASH and of this ash twenty-four
per cent, is potash and fifty eight per cent.
is lime, with but little phOsphoric acid.
This indicates that German kainit, sulphate
of lime or gypsum, or carbonate OF lime are
absolutely demanded for its successful cul-
tivatiOn, and to these should be added some
ammOncal manure, as dried blood or cot
ton seed meal and some acid phosphate.
"The reason why the rocks of the Lauren
tian formation make a soil adapted to the
growing ot tobacco is because they furnish
large quantities of potash. Granite, for in
stance, is COMPOSED largely of teldspar,
which furnishes large quantity OF potash.
Mica slate is also rich in this material.
Now, whether the application of large
quantities Of potash to these soils will pay
is a question for consideration and expert
ment. The potash Of these rocks when de-
composed is an exceedingly soluble slate and
is liable to be leached out by the rains. 1t
follows, therefore, that some soils OF this
cOmpOsitiOn may be deficient in potash
where the rocks have been long decompOsed,
but where decomposition is gradually talk
ing place this property is supposed to be
sufficient in the soil. Upon this subject the
agricultural department has promised to
throw some light.
"Our soils being the same as those OF
North Carolina, where the Yellow Oronoko
is grown in great perfection we would nat
urally say plant this variety, but Major X.
l.. Ragland, of Hyco, Halifax county, Va,
an experienced grower and an eminent au-
thority on the subject, recommends that the
larger part of the crop for this section be
planted in the yellow Pryor, which seems
to have given better results south OF North
Cardinal and Tuckahoe and sweet OrOnOkO,
which last is easiest cured, especially if air