The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1889-04-20
your soil and locality. The soil should

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be dry and warm. contain considerable
lime and lye. If possible, reasonably
well protected from hard winds.
As with most special crops some ex-
perience is necessary in order to ham
die properly and for this reason tho
better plan is to begin on a small
scale and then gradually increase the
acreage as experience is acquired.
This will lessen the chances of failure.
Plenty of fertilizers should be used.
Like cabbage, rhubarb, asparagus and
onions, tobacco is grass feeder and il
the best growth is obtained plenty Of
fertilizers must be used. Stable or
farm-yard manure and every thing elsc
that will add to the supply of available
plant food should be applied. Nitrate
of soda or any material containing
good percentage OF phosphates can al
ways be applied. Whatever fertilizer
Is used should be thoroughly incor-
porated with the soil. When it can be
done the ground should be well plowed
in the fall, the manure applied during
the winter and then thoroughly worked
in with the soil by cultivating and har-
rowing. 1t is essential that good caro-
be taken in this respect; for the plant
food must be placed in an available
form il any considerable amount OF
benefit is to be derived.
In the spring the first important
work to be done is the preparation Of
the seed-bed and the sowing of tho
seed to secure the plants The bed
should be as free from weeds and grass
seed as possible. The plants will not
make a satisfactory growth among
weeds or grass, and it is important to
have strong. vigorous plants. One OF
the best plans of making the seed-bed
is TO take piece of new land, pillow or
spade up thoroughly and then pile up
a lot OF brush all over the bed and set
it afire. The object is to destroy the
weed-seeds, and for this purpose the
heat should be kept up for some time,
usually about an hour. This can be
done either before or after spading up.
The moro thoroughly the weed-secds
are destroyed the easier will be the
task of getting good plants. When the
condition of the soil will permit tho
seed-bed should be made reasonably
early. in March. if possible; if not.
early in April. Take pains to do thor.
ough work, getting the soil in the very
best filth. The seed is very fine. and i
good termination is to be secured il
will be necessary to have the soil thor.
oughly prepared.
One ounce Of seed will, under aver.
age conditions, make plants enough Il
set out three acres OF land. 1t is diff.
cult to SOW the seed evenly, becaus,
they are so small, and many prefer t.
mix them with about twice their bull
of fiuely-pulverized soil, taking pain
to SOW as evenly as possible. The seed:
are slow to terminate. and will requir,
from twelve to twenty days, depending
upon the warmth of the soil and tn,
season. If the bed should get dry
will pay to water it. To prevent TIL
plants making too spindling a growth
care should be taken to thin out, leav
ing the plants about an inch apart
This work can be done with a sharp
toothed rake, and will always pay i
the better plants that will result. Afte
the plants are up well, sprinkle owe
them a mixture of ashes and plaster
This will be found necessary to protec
, from the tobacco fly that often cause
considerable damage to the youn
, plants Louis Republic.