Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1888-06-14
SOUTHERN AGRICULTURAL.
Tobacco Culture.


lished in its new homo the soil should
be loosencd around the plants with the
hoe If this is not done the soil forms
a hard crust on the top that often cuts
the plant off as it grows. Care should
be used not to break the plant loose.
Tobacco should be cultivated every
eight or at most every ten days until
loo large TO get through between The
rows without breaking the leaves too
much. think Inc more this crop is
worked, if done properly and at the
right time. the heavier and finer the
tobacco. Tobacco seems to be one of
the crops that does best if hood great
deal. and might be almost termed
hoed crop. From my experience In
cultivating tobacco | find there is n
certain Stage in lis growth that il
shonld be topped to make the best
leaf If you will notice, The first four
or five leaves of the plant are smaller;
these should be taken eff Then, after
the next ten leaves, they grow smaller
rs they near the top Now. to top the
plant rs soon as you can. ut ten leaves
after tho smaller ones are taken of,
we have the best part OF the plant.
S me growers top the plant at four
teen TO sixteen Ieav IS. but from my
observation in this respect find to-
bacco not so h ANY or rs large a leaf
by this plan, besides having more
leaves TO keep worms off of and moro
leaves to handle Ia stripping and
otherwise handling.
Die attention must be given to
worming, DESTROYING all eggs That can
be found. The fl o, most usually lay
their eggs on top Of the loaf have
not tried it myself, but some hay c
planted jamestown wee in th ir to-
bacco fields an thon put fly poison in
the blossoms with good eff CT. 1t is
more tedious to keep the small worms
fl. but if hey are left to grow larger
they will injure tho look, Of the leaf
greatly.
AS soon Us the suckers are large
enough 10 take off handily they should
be taken of that the strength of the
roots may go 70 the leaf Tobacco Of
most varieties will usually sucker four
lines NJ the leaf. bnt will sucker at
the ground until tho roofs die. They
must be kept # until the crop is cut.
have left them 10 grow sometimes
when my crop was late. They cause
the crop TO ripen earlier, which it
should be TO make it cure up WE'LL
neither do think they draw as hcav-
lily as tho first suckers thai come Oh
tho plant.
Tobacco Should never be cut soon
after heavy rain; it will wash tho
gum off, and the leaf will be tim and
weigh light Three or four nights
heavy dews Will make it all right.
| When convenient. IL is best to put the
crop in the barn as ii is cut, arranging
the sticks eight inches apart It saves
much rc-handling, which must neces-
sarily brulso tho leaf some; besides,
it takes moro labor TO put 1t first on
scallolds. Soms prefer ''yellowing'
their tobacco on scalfoll before put
lin. in the barn. bu, do not. To-
bacco should not hang long in
tho barn before fire is put under it. As
soon as it shows signs of following
commence firing, and here is where
some skill rs well as knowledge is re-
required. Heavy fires should b. put
under and not allowed 10 lower much
for six or eight days, or until well
cured. After the fire once dies down
and the tobacco comes in case it is
dangerous TO fire any more. If bright
tobacco is desired, then the tobacco
should get we'll yelowed before fire is
put under ii.
AS soon rs tobacco is well cured II
should be stripped. l prefer selling
before Christmas. if l take dollar
less per hundred. rather Than sell il
late in the spring Tobacco loses
greatly in going in and out of order.
| prefer 10 sell round rather than sell
the trash at one price, Tugs ut another
and leaf at another. Selling round
will give the best satisfac ion us 10 the
way it is classed.
In stripping make as many grades
as you have. distinct classes. This Is
important, rs manufacturers can moi
handle mixed tobacco without pains IN
sorting that the farmer ought to take
and save to himself tho better price he
obtains. In culling, put the ground
leaves in ono ella. Soften you win do
rs we'll 10 throw them away-thC
worm-eatcn and all damaged leaves in
another class, the best leaves then
should he c'asscd as 10 length and
color. Baking tobacco in safe-kecp.
ing order requires Judgment and care,
as all past good care may be lost IN
this finishing operation. - Cor. South
erp Cultiudtor.