St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1888-07-07
SOUTHERN AGRICULTURAL
Tobacco Culture,

our advice TO the tobacco grower i.
"a' as soon rs the plant is we'll cstab.
s.ed IN It's new home the soil should
"e ioosencd around the plants with the
"oe- IL this is not done the soil forms
hart crus; on the top that often cuts
.he plant of Is it grows Care shopld
nc used not to break the plant loose.
.ooacco should be cultivated every
c'snt or at most every ten days until
100 large TO get through between the
rows without breaking the leaves too
moch think the more this crop is
worked. il done properly and at the
right time. the heavier and finer the
tobacco. Tobacco seems to be one of
INC crops that does best if hoed great
oea. and might be almost termed
noed crop From my experience in
cuitivating tobacco 1 find there is a
certain stage in its growth that it
should be topped to make the best
icsL II you will notice. the first four
or hvc leaves of the plant are smaller;
tnese should be taken off Then, after
The next ten leaves. they grow smaller
as they near the top Now, to TOP the
plant as soou as you can. at ten leaves
after the smaller ones are taken Of
we have the best part of the plant
S~me growers Top the plant at four
teen 10 sixteen leaves. but from INV
observation in this respect find to.
oacco not SO heavy or as large leaf
by this plan. besides having more
leaves 10 keep worms off of and more
leaves to handle in stripping and
otherwise handling.
Due attention must be given to
worming. destroying all eggs that can
bc found. The f1:cs most usually Law
their eggs Oh top of the leaf have
not tried it myself. but some hav
planted jamestown weed in their to-
bacco fields and then put II y poison in
the blossoms with good effect 1t is
more tedious to keep the small worms
IT, but if they are left to grow larger
they will I'M ure the looks of the leaf
greatly.
AS soon rs the suckers are large
enough to take off handily they should
DC taken of that the strength of the
roots may go to the Leaf Tobacco of
most varieties will usually sucker four
times at the leaf but will sucker nj
the ground until the roots die. They |
must be kept off until the crop is cut.
1 have left them to grow sometimes
when my crop was late. They cause
the crop TO ripcn earlier. which i.
should be to make it cure up well:
neither do think they draw rs heav-
lily as the first suckers that come on
the plant.
Tobacco should never be cut soon
after heavy rain; it will wash the
gum of. and the leaf will he thin and
weigh light Three or four nights
heavy dews will make it all right.
When convenient it is best to put the
crop in the barn rs it is cut, arranging
the sticks eight inches apart 1t saves
much re-handling. which must neces-
'arily brulsc the leaf some; besides.
1 takes more labor 10 put it first on
Some prefer relieving"
heir tobacco on n scaffold before put
ing in the barn. bu. do not. To-
,acco should not hang long in
he barn before fire is put under it. As
DON as it shows signs of following
firing. and here is where
ONE skill rs well rs knowledge is re-
equired. Heavy fires should b, put /;
lnder and not allowed to lower much ,
or six or eight days. or until we'll
ured. After the fire once dies down
nd the tobacco comes in case it is i;
angerous to fire any more. If bright =
obacco is desired. then the tobacco !,
hould get well yellowed before fire is !
Mt under it. 4
As soon rs tobacco is well cured it :,
hould he stripped. l prefer selling =
cforc Christmas. if l take dollar Z,
SIS per hundred. rather than sell it
tie in the spring. Tobacco loses
realty in going i'm and out of order
prefer 10 sell round rather than sell
le trash ut one price. Tugs at another .
nd leaf at another. Selling round :,
i'll give the best satisfac,io rs 10 the u
ay it is classcd. 81
In stripping make as many grades
) you have distinct classes. This is =, :.
lportsnt. rs manufacturers can not l
indie mixed tobacco without pains in ~
rting that the farmer ought to take
ID save to himself the better price he IA
'tains. In cu!ling. put the ground q.
ayes in one class-oftcn You viii. do II
well 10 throw them away-,hc 10
and all damaged leaves in
othcr class. the best leaves then IA
ould he c:assed as 10 length and OF
lor Bulkins tobacco i'm safc-kcep- 70
9 order requires judgment and care. F.
all past good care may be lost in l6
Is finishing operation. Cor. South
. Culfirafor. In