The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1892-07-14
hope of prosperity and plenty.
R. T. NEsB1Tr,
Commissioners of Agriculture.
Tobacco.

department, larger acreage In the state
than ever has been planted in tobacco.
In the October crop report of last year
an article on its culture and cure was
published, but as features necessary to
Its successful growth present them
serves at this season, we again call at
tention to them.
with the cultivation of tobacco "that
any one who can raise good cabbage,
ought to know how to cultivate tobacco.
as the cultivation is very similar.
Cultivation should begin soon after
planting. and should be rapid and
thorough. To delay in this not only
endangers the yield. but lowers the
quality of the tobacco. When the land
has been thoroughly prepared, three
plcvTings, followed with the hoe, will
be sufficient. When the soil is removed
from around the plant by "scraping
down. it should be replaced, otherwise,
should the working be followed by q
drought, the life Of the plants would be
endangered, and their growth retarded.
AS soon as the plants have taken root
the hoe should be used to loosen the
soil around them. it being generally not
necessary if the ground has been well
prepared to use the plough at this work
ing to loosen up the soil. The use of
the plough will not, however be amiss,
and would be essential should the soil
be too stiff to loosen up with the hoe.
Clean culture is necessary to properly
develop the plant, and it is immaterial
with what implement it is done, so long
as the soil is we'll stirred and the plants
kept free from grass and weeds. On
the subject of the best implements to be
used, Major r. L. Ragland of Wyco,
Va. who is considered standard au-
thority on the cultivation of tobacco,
says: For the first ploughing no i'm
plement is better than the wing-coulter
the. next best the cultivator of double
shovel with coulter points. The second
ploughing may be effectually done with
the. turning plough or cultivator; if
grassy use the first. The last plough
ing is most effectually done with three
burrows with the single shovel, fur
row on each side, then splitting the
middle with the third and last furrow. :"
1t IS very important that good star d
should be secured as early as by the last
OF j une; after that time plants set out
are very uncertain. In cultivating the
Yellow types it is essential that the crop
should be cleared of grass and weeds
before the last of July; after that time
the plough should not be used, though
until the leaves commence to grow it
may. be cleaned with the hoe. Plough
ing after the last of July will delay the
ripening of the plants and makes early
cultivation. of the greatest Importance.
When the plants develop slowly and it
becomes necessary to hasten ripening
that frost may be escaped any good fer
tlllzer may be applied around the plants
and earth scraped upon the fertilizer
around the top of the hills.
On the >dbject of gathering and cur
ing we will have something to say at
an early season.
THE HORN FLY.
In some portions of Southern Georgia
last year cattle were very much ANNOYED
and their condition reduced by the raw
ages of a small fly about one-half the
size of the house fly, which it resembles
in general appearance. In Virginia this
fly is known AS the Horn Fly. or Buffalo
Gnat.- The latter name has become cur
rent under the misapprehensiou that
the fly is identical with the southern
buffalo gnat of the Mississippi valley.
However, the injury done by the horn
fly Is not to be compared TO that of the
southern buffalo gnat, and indeed there
may be no fear of any immediate danger
to the life of stock. For the benefit of
those sections of the state infested with
these pests, we give several selections
from the report of the Entomologist of
the Department of Agriculture of the
United States.
LIFE HISTORY.
The eggs are deposited during day.
light, chiefly between 0 a. m. and D.
M. and more particularly during the
warm morning hours. They are laid
singly, and usually upon their sides
upon the surface of wet dung the mo-
ment the latter is dropped. So far as
known they are laid upon no other sub
stance, and never when old The Larvae
upon Matching descend, remaining. how
ever, neer the surface. When they are
grown they are about two-ffths of an
inch in length, and of normal color and
form. The time elapsing from the egg
to the adult is from ten to seventeen
days, averaging, say, two weeks, and
there are probably seven or eight gen
creations annually. Their winter habits
have not been definitely defined. Hi
bernation doubtless takes place nor
mally, either as an adult around
stables, or AS pupanurh below the sur
face OF the ground. The flies make
their appearance in May, becoming
most abundant in July, and gradually
dwiudling until sharp frosty nights be-
come frequent. The characteristic habit
of clustering about the base of the horn
is developed when the flies are quite
abundant When they average only one
hundred or so to the animal, compare
lively few will be found on the horn.
Moreover, the n-clustering habit
seems TO be more predominated early in
the season than later. The horns are
not the only resting place, as vast num-
bers cluster also upon the back between
the head and fore-shoulders, whore they
can be reached by neither head nor tail.
In the feeding position the wings are
slightly elevated, and are held out from
the body at an angle of 60 degrees from
the abdomen. The legs are held out
wildly, and the beak inserted beneath
the skin of the animal, is held in nearly
q perpendicular position. The fly be-
fore insertinc~ its beak works its way
through the Asir close to the skin, but
Is able at fling of the tail or an impa-
tient turn of the head to rise instanta-
neously in fight, settling back as
quickly.
pRRvuNTYUV AppT TCATVn~c