Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1886-03-18


How they Uarvy on the Great Local Industry
Down In Maryland.
Donkirk. Calvert Co.. Nd. Corr. of tho Haiti.
more sun.
The second week of March In an import
ant period for farmers In the tobacco grow
ing counties Of the state. Al early ~
January sometimes bed In made to give .
small planting extra early, but there can be
no regular dependence upon these winter
beds, and frequently no good results from
them. II made NJ ALL they have 70 DO made
In such warm southern hillside that when
the warmer seasons come on they burn Ike
tinder. Many farmers now DO not make
these winter beds at all, but save their
fertilizing material for large spring bed.
These farmers seem the most successful
after ali, aud the custom Is becoming more
general. This spring bed In supplemented
usually by +" branch bed," made In . low,
moist spot, 30 that In case OF a severe
drought, which may burn the winter bed, or
even the spring bed, the branch bed may
hold sufficient moisture 10 withsano the
effects OF the heat and drought
These branch beds may be made any
time In March, and they often save a
crop, although Ii can never be full crop, as
the plants come out juicy and tender, and
the hot suns OF June and July Will burn them
TO cinder when planted unless there hap
"
which seldom occurs All things taken into
consideration, and the experience OF the
oldest and best farmers has thus niade the
early part of March tho favorite time for
tobacco-bed making. That the spot selected
must have southern exposure or be pro
tectsd from tho northern winds, all success
ful planters are agreed, but the character OF
the soil and the fertilizers TO be used are sub.
jects upon which there In diversity OF
opinion. Some farmers prefer the light gray
soil, which II usually covered with holly and
ivy bushes others prefer pine land, well
coyered with skaters, or black, loamy spot
II seems that a. fertilizer stable cleanings
are preferred, - they cause considerable heat
by fermentation. Hog pen ana nen n0use e,s.
clailn that the stable cleaningr produce too
much heat and will cause the plants TO burn.
A number OF farmers object to using any
farm fertilizer on the beds They claim that
il Is better to use what can be gathered on the
farm for top dressing for grass and to use on
tobacco beds commercial fertiliherA This
practice IL obtaining considerable follow.
ing now, and farmers who have tired
IL say that they are better Pieesea
the old way. As top dressing after
the plants have come up commercial
fertilizers only seem TO give satisfaction. A
former practice was to top-dress win rich
dirt aud scraplngs around barns and undei
the sheds, but it Ii now generally believed ~
some OF our best tobacco planters that this
top dressing induces q ravage by the dreaded
tobacco fly which 30 often blights the hopes
OF the farmer by destroying the tobacco
plants. 1t Is thought that these flies are KEPT
from freezing In their embryo state from the
protection afforded by the shelter, and, being
carried to the bed with the fine scrapings
they are on the spot to begin operations 2,
soon ~ the plants comeur Thus IL II thati Id
making beds the barn scrapings are not now
being used for fear of the fly. But for this
objection this would, It Is stated, be suPe
riUr fertilizer for tho beds ~ II would not In
duce burning as the stable cleaDings do and
would be used largely on spring beds.