The Progress., 1895-01-12

aFofu breaking and otherwise IDlCr-
ing the plants. Less cultivation IS
needed for tobacco than cotton.
woRM1NG.
No more important operation ex-
lists in the culture of tobacco than
preventing the destruction of the
plants by the worms (caterpillars) Of
the tobacco moth. This Is accom-
plished in the following way:
l. BY planting Of "Jimson weed"
here and there through the crop and
In the blooming season poison the
bibular flowers with mixture of
cobalt and syrup. In the search for
nectar among these flowers the moths
are destroyed, Zone moth may lay
from 500 to 300 eggs, and there may
be three b1oods per season.
2 Destroying the moths by burn
ing lamps in the field.
B Picking the eggs and young cat
erpillars.
t. Application of Paris green or
arsenate of lead. Tue latter has the
advantage over the former in not
burning the plants when used in ex
cess.
BUTTONING THE PLANTS.
! This consists 10 the removal Of the
top Of the plant by means Of thumb
and finger which causes suckers to be
thrown . ont in the exils of the
1 leaves. The removal of these suck
ers when about three inches long is
known as 'suckering," which is
among the most important operations
in the growing of fine plants. These
suckers, if allewsl to grow, cause an
inferior growth of leaves and very
materially interfere with the profits
accruing from tobacco culture.
~ 5f RIPENING.
arhege are several things which in
dicate the proper ripening Of the
| leaves: 90.
| /, The changing of the color from
a deep green to pea green,
2. Sometimes the leaves assume a
notified appearance and may become
wrinkled. .......
| 5. The disappearance of the mum
! esous small hairs which cover the leaf
up to the ripenlqg time.
| 4. The easy breaking of the md
die rib of the leaf, which, when not
ripe. bends.
CURING, ... I'
/ In explaining the process OF curing
number of bulletins were distrI.
buted aluong the members OF the as
/ ISOLATION and from the cuts OF the
/ building and outfit this process was
explained. The choice between the
cnripg of the whole stalk with leaves
attached and separate leaves, was
fully discussed by Major Lee, who
claims great gaia by the leaf curing
as by this method the bottom OF
usandn leaves are saved, which, 10y
the other method are discarded.
The rapid curing in the modern
barn greatly facilitates the handling
of the crop, for ia barn lsrW feet
ten acres of plants may be easily
cured: 600 to 500 pounds may he
cured in three days, which is q great
saving of time in comparison to the
older methods adopted.
For the following, fixing OF the
color. and the process of sweeten'ng
the reader is referred to the two very
excellent bulletins issued by the
North Louisiana Experiment Station
which will be sent free to any person
ami wing for them. In these bulle
TINS the methods of grading and
bulking are given which are very nee
essary operations to the successful
marketing of the crop.
Major Lee in conclusion called atten'
ton to the large tobacco factory no"
almost completed at Calhoun la.
which will give a market to much Of
i Iouisiana's crop.
A great deal Of valuable informa.
ton was brought out in the liberal
discussion of the subject by those
present. and as a result of the great
encouragement given to the farmers
Of Wilson by Major Lee many OF
them applied for seed at once and
barn will be erected in the vicinity
eth. a,r;nu of the crop.