The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1892-02-25
THE WORKING or THE WEED.
Practical Hints on the Cultivation of
Tobacco.

Augusta Chronicle:
Dear Sir: l beg to offer the follow
ing suggestions upon the cultivation of
tobacco III this section, and fully believe
thai an observance Of them will produce
the most satisfactory result:
l. Selection of seed.
4. Seed from the Vuelta le Abaio
District Of Cuba is beyond doubt the
best Tor this section, since it produces
both good filler aud wrapper.
=. Time to plant seed.
a. The proper time to plant seed is in
January, February and March, The two
iormcr months producing the best re.
suits, while the sowing in March is nee
essary Tor resetting and late planting.
8. Location and preparation of seed
beds.
4. 1t is well TO select two locations
Tor scad beds if possible, one in low
damp place, and the other in rich up
lands. BY this, disastrous result OF a
vet or dry season may be ayoldcd.
| b. Upon the spots selected burn au
abundance Of wood and brush for the
purpose Of killing insects and the ashes
to serve as fertilizer.
| c, III any roots remain remove them
II possible, and work the grount
thoroughly with IL plough or hoe, pull
vcrizins well, slopiny the sullace Slight.
ly to prevent water standing on the
beds.
Il. Sow the seed and rake it in.
One tablespoonful of seed should be
sown to each square rod of land, which
will produce sufficient plants for setting
one acre. In order TO SOW the seed
evenly it is we'll to mix it with meal or
wood ashes. Should the weather con
tlnuc dry the beds must be watcrcd rs
may be necessary.
4. Transp!anting.
a. Plants are ready to be put out
when from three to six inches high, and
the work is done similarly to the man.
ncr in which cabbage plants are handled.
The roots should stick or fork, and care
used not to bruise the plant in any way.
5. Soil for fields.
Il. Cow pen manure and cotton seed
compost make geoI fertilizers, Of the
latter fifty to one hundred bushels to
the acre shouldbc used, according to The
land.
!. Preparing fields.
Il. The fields should be well worked.
and made as mellow as possible and ter
ulizcrs well worked in.
b. The field should be made into
small rows, (two small furrows thrown
t'gethcr,) rows to be from three to four
feet apart, and plant set from fifteen to
eighteen inches apart, depending on
the richness Of the land.
s. Culture of plant.
Il. Fields must be kept we'll cultivated
and free from weeds. The soil must be
kept mellow, and if it for any season be-
comes hard or crusty 1t must at once be
worked with team or hoe.
b. AS soon rs the bloom shows the
but should be broken of, leaving on the
top OF tho plant good hcalthy-lookny
le1l. Some difference otopinion exists
as TO the best time for topping, but the
best results have been obtained as above,
Z. After the plant is topped sucker
Will grow to each leaf, which should DC
picked ollwhcn two or three inches long,
and never allowed to remain on the
stalk and be gathered.
., Harvesting.
Il. Tobacco should be harvested by
cutting the entire plant when it is
thorou" hly ripe, and not by stripping its
leaves from time to time, as is some
times done.
b. a plant is sufficiently ripe VIII en-
the leaves near the top will snap VIII Ell
linched on the under side between the
stems. The ripcness OF the plant can.
not always be determined by Its color.
10. Tobacco sheds.
Il. These should be so built as to give
a good circulation OF air from bottom to
top, and arranged to be closed when
necessary.
b. a shed GO by 81 feet, with l2-ioot
posts, is Of sufficient size to cure five
acres of tobacco.
IL. lIangin. III sheds.
Il. After plant is cut il! should, if
possible, not be laid upon the ground
as sand may adhere TO it, causing trouble
when the tobacco reaches the factory.
b. Plants should be hung seven or
eight inches apart both ways.
c. They may either bc tied to a lath
or pole or the stalk split and pointed d
lath run through 1t, putting six or eight
plants on lath. Pole laths should he
hung in manner that they will best
cconomize space.
d. The shed should be well ventilated
until the tobacco is well wilted down
and the plants hang clear Of each other.
IL. lrcWlilnS 1Or market.
a. when the main stem of the leaf can
be pinched near the seed and show no
sap the leaves are ready to be stripped.
D. The leaves should be carefully
sorted, ragged, poor and green leaves
being placed together, and respective of
sizes, also some coarse leaves from the
top. The good leaves should be divided
as to size, long together and short to-
gcther.
c. They are then to be tried into pack
ages, or hands, of about thirty leaves
each. In placing them IN packages each
Leaf should retain its natural shape as
stripped from the stalk, and not IN any
case be smoothed out flat.
d. In bulking away or boxing keep
The different grades or kinds of packages
by themselves, and pack by tapping The
tips OF the packages. When boxing use
only clean dry boxes, leaving small
space between the ends OF PACKAGES and
box to prevent moulding. DO not let
the boxes remain on the ground.
l3. Insects.
a. Insects may threaten plants at any