The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1888-02-28


prevent some spots from being too
thin, and, what is worse, other spots
from being too thick. To do so the
seed must be carefully measured and
then divided into two equal parts.
The bed should be marked off into
sowing breadths by lines four feet
apart, and sowed entirely over with
one-half the seed in one direction, and
then over again with the other half in
the opposite direction. The seed
should be neither hoed nor "aked into
soil, but trodden in with the foot, or
pressed in with the back of a wedding
hoe, or, better still, by passing light
roller over the bed. The old way of
protecting beds from frosts. &C., was
to throw brush upon them, but the
raising of plants is attended with more
unfortunate events, plaques, &C., than
when the industry was in it's infancy
years ago. The fea-bug is decidedly
the most disastrous Of all other plaques
and their visits result IN the almost
complete determination of the young
and tender plants as they come to the
surface of the gronnd. There is a
remedy, however, and it is simply
this: After the seed has been sown
and the bed we'll manured, get four
planks, clear of holes, one inch thick
by twelve inches wide. Sink these
planks about two inches deep in the
soil on the edge of the bed, fit the
corners together and nail them up air
tight, thus preventing any insect,
however small, from passing through.
Procure sufficient quantity Of plant
bed cloth, which can be had at a cost
of three cents per yard, and sew the
edges together to make a complete
covering for the box around the bed,
drawing the sheeting over the edges
so as to tack down secure. Then the
plants are secure from the flea bug
At glance you will see it's practical
workings. 1t not only protects the
plants from insects, but from winds,
frost, &C., and serves as a hot bed.
When the plants are sufficiently large
to be out of the way of the bugs, take
off the sheeting and planks and put
them away for future use. BY using
the box and sheeting plants can be
successfully raised in gardens or any
where, if the soil is adapted to their
growth.
THE TRANSPLANTING
should, in your section, be done be-
tween April 25th and May 18th. This
will give the plants a strong, healthy
start, and permit them to push for
ward, ripen early, avoiding the more
dangerous attacks of the worms,
which are in August, and they will
be more clear from diseasing, which is
the result of late or backwards crops,
and then you will be able to have your
tobacco cut, cured and housed before
the cotton picking season begins. 1t
only requires about ninety days to
mature a growing crop of tobacco if
it has had a proper start.
THE SELECTION OF SOIL
is an important matter, and it should
be soft, deep, sandy soil, which be-
fore planting should be always put in
the finest tilth. If new ground, it
should, after having been grubbed
and chopped, be raked cleanly and all
leaves and litter burnt. 1t is then
ready for the plow, and should be
closely broken twice and crosswise
and as often narrowed. 1t should
next be marked off in horizontal rows
three and one-half feet apart, into
which should be drilled 800 to 500
pounds per acre of good and active
fertilizer. 1t is then ready to be listed
or bedded with turning plow, and
with a broad weeding-hoe these lists
or beds should be worked into conical
hills, three and one-half feet apart.
The hill culture, both in the prepara-
ton and the subsequent workings of
the tobacco crop, should never be de-
parted from, for that method of cult
tion 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 all the diseases to
which the plant is liable-such as
frencing, firing, spotting, rustlng and
shedding-come from excessive To :,
accompanied by excessive heat. For
new ground, the hilling can be done
as early as April or May, and should