The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1891-04-02
HOW TO GROW TOBACCO.
Practical Suggestions About
Preparing the Land for
Plant Setting.

A few years ago (before he quit
farming) Capt. r. B. Davis, of Ca
tawba county. was one Of the most
successful tobacco planters in the
State. We have frequently published
articles from his pen giving instruction
as to the best methods of cultivation,
and one who has been SO successful
himself ought to be good authority.
Following we give an instructive arti-
Gle from Capt. Davis on the all i'm
portant subject of land selection and
preparation for the crop. He says:
, A soft, deep sandy soil is preferable,
which before planting should be al
ways put in the finest tilth, it being an
adage with good farmers that "Crop
properly planted is half worked"
If the land is new ground, it should
after having been grubbed and chop
ped, be raked cleanly and all leaves
and litter burnt. 1t is then ready for
the plow, and should be closely broken
twice and crosswise with the bull
tongue in horizontal rows three feet
apart, into which should be drilled 900
pounds per acre, unless where the land
is naturally rich, of a good and active
fertilizer. 1t is then ready to be listed
or bedded, with turning pillow. l
prefer the list since it ligftens the hoe
work of hilling, and is at the same
time more economical use of the
fertilizer-the balks between can be
thrown out at the first wedding. With
broad wedding hoe these lists or
beds should now be worked into conf
ical hills, placing them 3 feet 3 inches
apart. know that many recommend
more crowded planting, giving the
rows and hills only distance of three
feet. But in doing so nothing, in my
opinion, is gained in weight, while
something is lost in length, breadth
and body of the leaf, which with the
manufacturer are the prime requisites.
The hills can be laid off with great ac-
curacy by stepping or otherwise meas
uring one row and then placing the
hills of the next between those of the
first and SO on, or what is called dodg-
ing them. To prevent crowding or
irregularity in hilling, this rule will be
found of use where raw hands are en-
ployed.
The hill culture, both in the prepar-
alton and the subsequent workings of
the tobacco crop, should never be de-
parted from, for the reason that the
method of cultivation gives the land
the best drainage Of which it is capa-
BILE. And in this crop drainage is one
of the first things to be considered tol
the reason that all of the diseases to
which the plant is liable-such as
trenching, firing, spotting, rusting and
shedding-come from excessive rain
accompanied by excessive heat. The
6 owth of the plant itself would sug-
gest as much, for in time of drouth the
leaves stand up to gather the rain, but
so soon as it has enough of it they
turn down and throw it off. / repeat,
then, let no water stagnate upon the
ground. For new ground, the hilling
can be done early in April or May
and should be always when the soil is
in good working order and neither toe
wet nor too dry. In the one case II
will bake and prevent the ready
growth of the plant, and in the othe1
it will require much rain to put it in
condition for planting.
II the land is not new ground
either forest or pine field, it should bt
fresh or at least rested and in good
heart, and upon which neither corr
nor sorghum has been lately cropped
For such land the preparation is in al
respects similar to that for new grounc
except that turning plow may take
the place of a bull tongue, and the
hilling should not be done earlier thar
the first of May for fear the hills ma,
become grassy while waiting for plants
or season to plant them. To pre-
serve such lands and to prevent dam
ages to the growing crops from wash
ing rains, watterfurrowing or gutter
ing is recommended.
; Tobacco land, more than almost
anv other, should be manured with a
liberal hand. Stable or barn yaro
manure is every way the best, bu
when not to be had in sufficiant quan
tity must be substituted by some gooe
commercial fertilizer, of which there
are countless varieties upon the mar
ket possessing more or less merit.