The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1888-05-24
YELLOW TOBACCO.
Some Practical Hints on Planting and
Cultiyating Tobacco by one
Who Knows.


Who Knows.
The tobacco plant requires usually 100
days from tue tim: lt is tranSplanted to
grow and ripen properly. TO secare the
best results, therefore, the planting should
not be earlier thah the 10th of May. and if
possible later than the goth of June. LII
the one case the plant is likely to be stunt
ed in its early growth, as well as deprived
Of the dews of August and September and
in the ether, there is danger that it may
not have time to mature fully before frost.
The plants-are set very much as cabbage
plants are, by inserting them to the bud
and pressing the earth we'll to their roots
and stems with a peg. A plant is said to
be properly planted when the point of a
leaf breaks Of III the attempt to pull it up.
The plants should never be suffered to
Wilt before they are set. If this cannot be
done as fast as they arc drawn from the
bed, as many as can be planted in single
day should be drawn while the dew IS on
them, and kept until needed in shaded
place with their roots on damp ground,
their tops being occasionally sprinkled
with water.
II rhe hills have been put up with good
season in them, they can ordinarily at any
time i'll May be planted without rain. If
done late in thu afternoon. They should
also be ciapped with the back Of the hoe,
! which ciapping preserves the moisture and
planting peg, and shsuid be lighter or
! harder according to the dampnesS of the
! soil. But with an abundance of plants.
should the planter be blessed with good
! season in May or June, nought else but
planting is then to BIZ thought of. 1t is a
ma kim with haymakers that they should
work while the sun shines. The reverse Of
| this holds good with the tobacco planter,
aud he promises to be but poor one who
runs from a shower of rain.
| And 1t for tie convenience of housing,
! it is not desirable that the entire crop
should ripen at tie same time, therefore it
/ is not best that it should all be planted in
/ Il single day, or, even i'll single season.
Instead, then, of Fastening to get once over,
it is better to look well to the rcplanting,
in order TO get a perfect stand in the por-
| tion which has been plantcd-to do 50 and
as quickly as possible. shading or watering
the rpplanted hill, when necessary, is rec
commended.
The hill culture, both in the preparation
and the subsequent workings of the tobacco
crop, should never DE departed from, for
the reason that, that method of cultivation
gives the land the best drainage OF which
it is capable And in this crop drainage is
one of the first things to be considered, for
the reason that all the diseases to which
y the plaiit is liabie-such as frenching tr
/ ng. spottine, rustng and shedding-come
from excessive rain, accompanied by eX-
ce>sive heat. The growth Of the plant it
self would suggest as much, for i'll time or
drouth the leaves stand up to. gather the
rain but so soon as it has enough OF 1t they
rturn down and throw it Il. repeat, then.
let no water stagnate upon the ground. For
new ground the hilling can he done as
early as April or May, and should be
always when the soil is in good working
, order and neither too wet nor dry. In the
lone case it will bake and prevent the ready
growth of the plant, and in the other II
: will require much rain to put 1t IN cOndi-
ti0n for planting.
If tie land is not new ground, either for
! est or pine field. it shoald Se fresh or at
least long rested and in good heart, and
upon which neither corn nor sorghum has
been lately cropped. For such land the
preparation is in all respects similar tt
that for new ground, except that turning
plow may take the place of the bull
. tongue. and the hilling should not be done
earlier than the first of May for fear tina
! the hills may become grassy while WAITING
! for plants or a season to plant them. II
preserve such lands and to prevent dam
ages to the growing crops from washing
: rains, water-furrowing or gutterlng Is rec
\ commended.
: The cultivation of the tobacco crol
u though thorough. should be superficial
e that is to say, only the surface soil Shoult
be stirred, the subsoil being left intact.
? AS soon as the plant has taken root
? which is shown by its changing color, i
ShOuiu De HUEkpu Win liit iIOt OIIlg ~
II removing the crust of the hill, and dra W
t ing loose earth around this plant. Thi
destroys the first crop of grass aud helps t
destroy the cut worm. But ii the land be
: tween the rows has become foul, it shoul'
:, he plowed with bull-ton9ue OF shovel 4
= this first working.
5 When the plants have covered the hills
II say brea6th Of twelve inches-tbey shoul
n be worked thoroughly with both plow ans
: hoe This blowing should he with bull
r tongue OF shovel, using short single-tree:
IS and running il close to the plants, an
throwing out the row 18th four or five flu
y rows. If the land has become very foul,
n turning plow is preferable. With the ho
: all th@ surface soil should be drawn int
hills around the plants as at first. Thi
o WORKING is lay-by with the plow, whic
% should never be used after the plants hay
come into top. But later than this. shoul
} the land again become foul. it should b
} scraped with the hoe only. Any veget;
ton which springs Up after the plant Ia
attained its growth does it no BARN, but
)r beneficial rather in keeping the lowe
leaves from being saGded. IHt 10 the ey
-" of the genuine farmer ii is unsightly, an
l. is disadva ntageous If a wheat crop is
+. follow-it had better be kept down to II
last.