The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1891-04-14
HOW TO EERTILIzE TOBACCO.

For the profitable culture of tobacco
great care in the selection of fertilizers
is indispensable. TOillustrate how true
this statement is, it will suffice to re-
mark that HAVANA tobacco has lost
some of it's renowned excellence, a loss
directly traceable to the use of inap-
propriate fertilizers, viz. stable manure
and Peruvian guano. In both phos-
phoric acid and nitrogen predominant,
while tobaccOr requires above all potash,
and that in the right form. To save to
intelligent tobacco growers disappoint-
ment as well as money, a few words
about tobacco culture and the best
methods of fertilizing may not be I'm
welcome.
A yield of 24OO pounds of tobacco
leaves and 78O pounds of stems removes
per acre:
Potash. pounds $50
Posphorfc acid. " 3
Nitrogen. LII
The aim, therefore, in manurlng,
should be to replace these fertilizer con-
stituents to the soil in the proportion in
which they have been removed. Lime
israrely deficient in soil if deficient,
it can be bought at a small cost; if
superabundant, it does not impair the
quality of the tobacco. The three re-
naming substances, potash, phosphoric
acid, and nitrogen, require, however,
more careful consideration. Nitrogen
promotes the growth of the plant, and
the development of the leaves; potash
produces good quality and combusti-
bility of tobacco, while phosphoric acid
is necessary to promote the ripening of
the leaves. An excess of nitrogen in
the fertilizer causes a 1uxuriant growth,
but produces also undesirable qualities,
namely, thick leaves, and impairs
their combustibiity. Such will be the
result Of an extensive use of stable ma
nure or other heterogeneous fertilizers.
Tobacco rich in nitrogen will also emit
a bad Odor in burning. Chlorine has
to be avoided in tobacco fertilizers for,
tobacco rich in chlorine carbonizes and
is of poor burning quality. Stable ma
nure alone does not and cannot supply
the fertilizing constituents in the pro-
portion in which they are needed in
tobacco, and, consequently, if extern
siveIy used, the best results cannot
reasonably be expected from it's appli-
cation.
The form in which the fertilizing ele-
ments r supplied to the tobacco is
also of very great Importance.
Potash should only be used as sui
phate of potash or as double manure
salt. Muriate of potash, or kainit
should be avoided, unless they are ap-
piled to the crop preceding the tobacco.
In that case the harmful chlorine is
washed into the subsoil and, therefore,
out of reach of the tobacco roots.
Nitrogen is best applied in the form
of sulshate of ammonia or cotton seed
meal. Nitrate of soda produces to-
bacco of too rapid combustibility, that
crackels when burning. Horn and
hair, or wool fertilizers, cause a bad
odor in tobacco and should be carefully
avoided.
Phosphoric acid should be applied in
an easily available form, for instance,
in acid phosphate, but an excess should
be avoided for the a that it will
impair its combustibility. The follow
ing table shows the results of interest
ing experiments by Prof. Nessler as to
the influence of various fertilizers upon
the combustibility of tobacco:
Time b1rn'g of COntts ashes
Unfertilized ...... .., "a -.
Stable man're alone -. N " ..l6I
Stable manure with
acid phosphate. .. q .... .....1,49
M1riate of potash. -. II -. .....1,5S
Sulphate Of potash. 49,. 80 800. .....I,O5
Tho nn~hnunA:In:A- 10 q Doon