The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1889-01-17
TRANSPLANTING TOBACCO.
THE BUSINESS TO BE REVOLU-
TlONIZED.
A Machine that is to do the Work oi
the Hand and do it Better.

In the Baltimore Manufacturers
Record Of Jan. I,th, we find an en-
craving of new machine for trans
planting tobacco, together with the
following article which the GOLD LEAF
publishes for the benefit of its friends
who are interested in the cultivation
Of tobacco:
Tobacco growing is such an impor
tant industry in the South that trans
planter invented by Mr.. V. P. Rich
ardson, OF GAINESVILLE, Wis, may prove
of value to Southern farmers. This
machine is not ar experiment, but is
the result of five years of patient labor,
and has been brought to its present
perfected state by the expenditure oi
much money and time.
Mr.. Smith says: 81 believe this to
be the only machine that has success
fully planted tobacco under all circum
stances, and, in offering it to the to-
bacco grower, have every assurance
that he will be more than repaid for
his outlay.
The object Of this machine is to en-
able farmers to plant tobacco cheaper
and better than they can plant it by
hand. All tobacco growers know that
to insure an even start and growth Of
tobacco the following conditions must
be complied with
The ground must be moist or wet
when the plants are put in.
The dirt must be packed firmly
sbout the root of the plant.
The roots of the plant should be wet
and not the leaves, especially in very
hot weather.
The ground must be free of weeds.
The plants must be transplanted
when in proper condition.
All of these conditions can be COM
piled with if machine is used in
transplanting
The machine carries water and wa
tiers each plant at the moment the root
is covered. The water goes on the
root of the plant, and the root is then
covered with dry dirt, thus preventing
all baking OF the soil about the plant.
This also makes it unnecessary to wait
for rain,. as the machine furnishes
enough water for the dryest weather.
The plants are put in the ground
uniformly, with their roots straight,
and with the dirt packed firmly about
the whole length of the roots. They
are left in an upright position and no
resetting is necessary by poor work.
The tobacco ground can be prepared
and planted on the same day and cul-
tivated the next, and no weeds will
have chance to start.
AS there is no waiting for rain, the
plants can be transplanted as soon as
they are in proper condition. This
will often enable growers to get their
tobacco in several weeks earlier than
they could do otherwise.
The machine consists of a solid
frame of hard wood, supported by two
large wheels and the roller in front.
This front roller also serves to crush
the Jumps of dirt and prepare the
ground for the plow. The plow is
similar to. that used in corn planters
1t makes furrow into which the plant
is dropped, root daYn, by two per-
sons, seated below and in front Of the
water tank. These persons drop al
ternate plants. The wafer in the tank
on the rear of the frame is carried by
a pipe to a point Immediately behind
the plow where it is deposited on the
root of the plant. The root is then
covered with dry dirt by means of the
scraper and the dirt is packed by two
pressure wheels, one on each side Of
the plant. The driver rides in the
seat in front and by means of the lever
can raise the plow and other parts Of
the machine out of the ground when
necessary in turning around and in
going to and from the field. The per-
SONS who drop the plants can rest their
feet on the adjustable foot rests in
front OF the seats they occupy. The
valve in the water pipe is operated au-
tomatically, discharging the water at
regular intervals, thus indicating when
the plant should be dropped. The
persons dropping the plants hold on to
1t until they can feel the dirt strike;
they then let go. The plant is then
left IN an upright position with its
roots in the wet ground. Ifany trouble
is experienced in getting the plant in
with the water, the valve can be fast
ened open, allowing the water to run
all the time. A peculiar clicking
sound at regular intervals indicates
when to drop the plant. The two
wheels that pack the dirt and the scra-
per are adjustable. They can be raised
and lowered, moved to the right or
left. In light, dry soil the scraper
should be adjusted so as to throw more
dirt on the root of the plant than when
the soil is wet and heavy. The hack