Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1890-05-15
MAKING FINE TOBACCO.
Different Methods of Managing the Land
Fertiliztng, Housing. Curing Etc.


Much has been said on the subject
of improving the quality of tobacco,
and how to do it, is the question.
Every farmer tried last year to make
a crop of the best quality, and with
few exceptions the effort was signal
failure, and the reason for this is a
mystery to most people. Many diff
ferent causes have been assigned, but
none have solved the problem to the
general satisfaction of all concerned.
1t may be set down as a fact that
tired, tobacco-sick land was one cause
that contributed to the failure. Far
mers have come to rely entirely on
commercial fertilizers as a stimulus
to produce good quality. There is
no doubt about the virtue in the
proper compound for tobacco growth,
but much Of the stuff on the market
has come to be cheat and frequent
ly farmers use that which is COM
pounded for wheat, corn or some
thing else, and not at all fit for to-
bacco. Even the best fertilizer will
fail on tired, exhausted land. The
manure is dropped into the hill,
where it gives force to the main root
and stimulates rapid growth, but so
soon as the fertilizer is exhausted
there is no soil to support the plant
longer and nothing for the branch
roots to feed upon and the plant ma
lures without body and substance. On
good land this is not the case, for the
branch roots find soil to sustain the
growth stimulated by the fertilizer
and give it substance. Then the on
ly remedy is rest for the land-the
three shift system, following tobacco
with wheat and clover with one
years rest in clover.
There arc other causes whichare in
the modes of cultivation and curing.
The best tobacco may be ruined in the
barn for want of practical judgment
in curing. In cultivation different
seasons necessitate different treat
ment of the plant on the ground,
and no one rule will obtain one year
with another. Sometimes too much
blowing and sometimes not enough
for the season.
Sometimes the ground is plowed
too deep for the season and some
times not deep enough, and it re-
quires close observation, study and
attention on the part of the farmer
to understand and take advantage of
these conditions. There are some
planters who do understand these
conditions and rarely fail to make
fine tobacco. This is the year that
the demand calls for a moderate crop
of extra fine tobacco, and we would
suggest that the Wheeler brethren
discuss this question at every meeting
and call on the most successful
planters for instruction, that is their
methods practiced and different con-
ditions of the season, the land, ETC.,
also management in housing and
curing. No man is so wise on this
question who may not learn some
thing from others, and there is more
money in this to the planter than all
other subjects they usually discuss.
=------------------=
w. o. Brandon, at the LEAF
CHRONICLE office, is agent for the
"Caligraph," one of the best and
fastest type-writers made, while it is
sold for less money than any other
first class machine. He will take
pleasure in showing the Caligraph to
any one contemplating the purchase
of a writing machine. There are
now five or six Caligraphs in the city
and all are giving perfect satisfac-
ton.
---------
The Ice Co. have Mr.. Mac Leigh at
the head of their Bottling Works this