The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1890-02-27
TOBACCO CULTURE.
THE KIND OF SOIL BEST ADAPTED
FOR 1T.
A Valuable Treatise on the Subject by
Maj. r. L. Ragland, q Veteran and
an Expert.
SELECTION OF SOIL.

OELESA AOS~ or SOIL'
Choose a gray gneiss soil. t.
either sandy or slsty-dry and over
laying porous yellowish sub-soil; the
very opposite of close, soggy, wet
soil, for tobacco will not flourish with
wet feet, nor will the plants ripen of
yellow color on cold. clay-close, wet
soil. Discard all lands unadapted to
this important and exacting crop; a
spouty, black, gravelly soil is especially
to be avoided, or one which sfrenches'
the plants or causes burning Of the
bottom leaves before the plants ripen,
for it will surely not pay to plant such
in tobacco. An experienced planter
will rarely err in selection, but some
times tests alone determine adaptation.
FAILURES AND THEIR CAUSE.
The most prolific, general cause of
failure results from inexperience in not
knowing how or being able to prepare
for raising this type of tobacco, by
erecting barns with proper flues, and
in the lack of skill in curing and pack
ing houses for storing the cured pro-
duct. Next to these come improper
selection of land and using varieties
unsuited to soil and type the planter
aims to produce. The variety must
be adapted to the soil and type, or
full success is impossible.
1t is true, that during some seasons.
a pretty fair quality of yellow tobacco
is produced on soils not adapted to
this type, and by the use of varieties
which rarely succeed, but such are ex
ceptional cases, for never can extra
fine crops result from such mismanage-
ment. 1t may be set down as truisln
that it always pays to select the adap
tation of both soil to type, and the
variety for both. Improper or defec-
tive cultivation, too much or too little
rain during the growing and develop
ing season, surely operate against Sue
cessful tobacco planting, but even
these are often of secondary considera-
ton, injuriously affecting the product,
compared with mismanagement al
luded to above.
SOME COME VERY NEAR SUCCESS, BUT
MISS AT THE CRITICAL POINT.
Possibly the most discouragirg of all
causes for failure arises from the want
Of skill in curing, which comes mainly
through practice. 1t will pay any un-
skilled planter to have fine growing
crop OF yellow tobacco cured by an
expert, for it is pity to spoil barn
full of nice tobacco by curing up red,
green or black, when it might so cas-
lily have been cured of the desired
color by one who understands the ef-
fects of heat in fixing the color and
how to regulate the same to procure
the desired ends.
Some varieties are more readily
cured yellow than Others, but no fixed
rule can be given for regulating the
degree of temperature to fix the color
during the curing process, in conse-
quence of the variable condition of
the material operated upon, which va
riations are caused by differences in
soils, climate, varieties and seasons.
Therefore, the curer must at last rely
upon his judgment mainly in regulat-
ing the temperature, so as to make a
successful cure. During some years,
such as last proved to be, up to the
9th of September, all tobacco planted
on gray, we'll drained soil, of the yel-
low varieties, cured yellow readily
when heat was applied. In fact, 1t
was almost impossible fox any one with
even a modicum of experience and
common sense to fail in the early part
of the season in curing the desired
color, But that portion OF the crop
ripening after the 10Th of September
requires far more skill to yellow and
cure successfully, and the reason for
the change was in the changed condi-
ton of the tobacco.
1t would extend this paper much
beyond prescribed limits to give the
rationale of a super-abundance or lack
of sap in the leaves and the presence
therein of more or less gum, and how
these affect the color under the influ
ence of dry or moist air, during the
critical process of curing. But it is
becoming very plain to most planters
with more or less experience, that sue
cess in curing is oftenest obtained for
rite plants of the earliest paintings
grown from the earliest varieties. 1t
is notorious that green tobacco will
not yellow properly during curing, nor
will the utmost skill fix and retain the
desired color in immature tobacco.
Warm weather too greatly facilitates
successful curing. Therefore it is i'm
portant to plant such kinds as have
fine texture, grow rapidly and mature
and ripen early. Trial will surely de-
eide what is best for each locality.
inexperienced planters do we'll to
use varieties which are most easily
cured yellow, such as Hyco and Brad
ley, and more experienced ones, who
have failed to get the right kinds.
should experiment with the view ol
getting the best, while the successful
have no further need of experimenting,
but should continue to plant what has
given satisfaction. There are plant
ers, however, clinging to old and in
ferior kinds because they are ignorant
Of the superiority OF newer and better
varieties, and believe they are using
the best varieties and practicing the