The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1885-10-22


found the cultiyatioa very easy rap
idly done, and we'll suited to negro
labor. Up to the goth July L had no
trouble with the horn worm, but about
that time they appeared i'm vast and
increasing quantities., and before
couio get my raw negro hands ''edu-
Gated" up to the point Of catching all
OF them, big aud little as they went,
the ones>le behind, and growing rap
loiy 70 enormous size,F- had done me
great INJURY. AS soon as the worms
appeard also took measures to reduce
ehelf lf'numoefs by poisoning the moth,
whose egg laid on the under side of
the tobacco leaf, produces the worm.
TO this end, in the cultivation of the
crop, had instructed my hoe hands
to spare all plants of the limpson
| (JameStoWn) weed found growing in
the tobacco hills, the seed going to the
field with the compost, suppose, and
the consequence was that IN oaoh lot
had few very flourishing stalks of
Jimpson just coming into bloom.
Within these blooms, which arc the
favorite food Of The ''hawk moth," and
which arc open at night and closed in
daylight, or, at least, sunlight, each
evening injected a few drops of sweet
cncd water, pretty well celorcd with
cobalt, using small machine oil can
with spring bottom rs all injector. l
soon began to find tho dead moths,
and i'm less than a weeks time had the
satisfaction TO note, first decrease in
the eggs and young worms, and in
two weeks time n total disappearance
of all except tn, old worms neglected
In previous worming; nor have been
bothered with them since, except once,
when my Jimpson weeds being nearly
killed by ihc continued doses Of cobalt
l discontinued the use Of il a few days,
when found the worms again ap-
pearing and young moths growing nu>
mcrous in the fields. A few, two or
three, does week has kept them under
| ever since; and right here l will say
that | believe If had commenced the
use of the cobalt as soon az the first
Jimpson bloom appeared should
have escaped tho worms almost alto
gethcr.
My tobacco showing secd-buds first
about 18th July-the first planting--I
topbed enough for one barn about
July 20. This tobacco was cut and
put in barn August %; cured out
August 20, and the specimens l send
you aIC ITOlll IL.
After the rain, Goth August, 1t all
grew rapidly, and for the first time
gave me some trouble with the suck
crs, which have been or should be re-
moved each week until ready for the
knife. find the additional difficulty,
resulting from the rain of that date,
that all my bottom leaves on the older
tobacco are ripe and all the tips or top
leaves are green and growing. AS,
however, l must get through by frost,
curing two barns week, and having
barely time to do that, am compelled
to cut, and the result is that while
have o fair show of bright tobacco,
suitable for wrappers, l have very
unreasonable amount OF green tips
which no skill and care will make any
thing else of. For this the season is
responsible. If we had had rains,
even an average amount of it in the
spring and summer, all the tobacco
would have been ripe to the top and
ready for the knife by this time.
built me two curing barns Of most
approved sty le: fitted them with dou-
bic return flucs, costing barns com.
pictc, about $95 each, and find them
to act perfectly. l have already cut
and cured eight barns of from 400 to
900 pounds weight of cured leaf, and
expect to cure six or, perhaps, sever
more. l have also built most sub
stantial packing house, 40 by 20, two
floors, giving me capacity for storing
about 35 boxes, besides room for STRIP.
ping and handling. l will prepare nv
tobacco for market during the warm
| wet spells in the winter months: viii
pack it in hogshcads and ship to some
market in North Carolina or Virginia
and when l get returns will tell you
more about it as money CROP. Thus
far have demonstrated to my own
satisfaction:
| 1st. That our soil and climate arc
best adapted to the production of fine
yellow tobacco.
| "a. That the kind and abundance OF
iaror we have is with good manage.
mcnt, good stock of patience, due al
loWance for ignorance and CONSEQUENT
inefficicncy, until taught,) peculiarly
favorable to its productions as an auxil
larry crop.
Sd. That shall enlarge my facilities
for curing and storing, and next year
shall extend the production on my owl
place by inducements held out to m,
tenants to plant two to four acres t(
the family, to be worked by them, GI
which operation women and children
can be most protltably employed dur
ing the idle season of August and t,
18th September,) and afterwards, wher
ready to cure, to be sold on hill O
cured on shares, as agreed upon.
4th. That You have not heard th
last of tobacco growing as an industr,
In this section. "
l send you few hands of "brieht.
running from first grade leaf to brigh
lug" which you can place with othe
South Carolina products in .Agricul
tural Hall, remembering that bri9h
yellow tobacco Will stand neitRe
handling nor light, (excassive) ant
that it should not be subjected to th,
extremes of wet and dry. These spec
imcns have never yet been bulked, ant
are not at their best, but may at leas
rank as curiosities, coming, rs they d,
from the first barn Of Hue cure,
tobacco eUer cured IN the State
(Au2ust 29, 1859 so far as | know
and certainly the first cured i'm wha
will ono day be the celebrated yellow