The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-01-22
IN PREPARING LAND

f.r-
I begin in the fall season BY turning
under the vegetation and in the spring
about the first of April l-plow the
land again. I then run rows three
feet and three inches apart, put in the
rows the compost mentioned above,
using about thirty-fve cart loads to
the acre, and on top of this compost I
distribute six hundred pounds of high
grade fertilizer per acre. Some plant
ers use eight hundred pounds and up
wards of fertilizers per acre, but I
consider six hundred pounds a suf-
cient quantity. You want only
enough to sustain a full growth, and
If too much is used the tobacco will
not ripen well, but grow late in the
season and become thick and rough.
After distribution of manure ridge up
Land as in preparing for planting cot
ton, then drag ridge down and 81
SET PLANTS /.
three feet apart. Most planters use a
peg for making holes in which to set
plants. With proper care in setting
plants most all will live. Il weather
is dry water plants in setting. The
most successful way to water is by
filing hole with water, set plant in
the mud and place dry dirt around it.
Plants set this way, even in very dry
weather, will live. And have learn
ed by experience that in dry weather
it is better to set plants and water than
to let them stand on bed and grow up
spindling waiting for rain. 1 consid-
er best time for setting plants is from
first to tenth of May. If it can posi-
bly, be avoided never set plants after
tenth of June, though under favora.
BILE circumstances plants set this late,
and even later, will mature.
AS soon as plants have commenced
to grow, ~
CULTIVATION.
should begin and never be neglected.
Much skill is required to cure tobacco
well, and think fully as much is
necessary to properly cultivate it.
From the time plants are set untH to.
bacco is put in barn it should be given
almost as much care as sick baby.
Cotton can be-, neglected for a few
days without serious damage to it.
But not so with tobacco. To neglect
when it requires attention is to make
a comparatively big sacrifice. As
soon as plants begin to grow the soil
should be loosened around them. This
can best be done with an iron tooth
rake. In few few days the plow
should, follow the rake. Use cotton
plow with no fronts, throwing but
little dirt to the plant. After this con-
tinue to put dirt to the plant as it
grows. AS a rule the ground should
be stirred after every rain. Keep it
growing. Try to geta quick growth.
Much depends upon this. ~
When the tobacco gets twelve or
eighteen inches high Z
PRIMINa AND sUCKERING. ~
should begin. That is, the bottom
leaves and suckers should be kept
broken off. The bottom leaves should
be broken off as fast as they begin to
fade and decay. Do not try to save
too many of these leaves. They are
usually entirely worthless, beside be-
ing injurious to the other leaves and
in the way of cultivation. Both in
priming and topping use judgment,
and do not try to follow any set rule
as to the number of leaves to leave on
a stalk. One stalk may be able to
bear sixteen or eighteen leaves, while
the stalk III the next hill may not be
able to bear but ten or twelve. Green,
healthy tobacco should mature from
twelve to eighteen leaves. Where
land is not so strong and tobacco looks
thin, top it for eight or twelve leaves
You can easily damage your crops by
topping too low. When not enough
leaves are left on stalk, those that are
left become rough and heavy and DE-
not yellow well in the field. Keel
suckers off. Suckers always do harm
except perhaps on those stalks on very
rich soil which were topped too low
In such, cases suckers sometimes dt
good in keeping the leaves from be
coming too rough and heavy, and ir
aiding them in yellowing. .e
s.t a.. AND WORMS.
Do not allow them to chew your to
bacco. That which they chew may
not amount to much, and you coult
very well afford to supply few il
chewing tobacco if this was all the los!
sustained. But it is not. The great
er injury is sustained in the damage
they do to the tobacco they do no
eat. There should be no holes in tht
leaf. A few holes in a few leaves may
seriously affect the price when put OF
the market. By a little attention a
the proper time one need not hav'
much trouble with worms. Whe1
you set out your tobacco also set il
different parts of the field a few gmyp
son weed plants, and cultivate them
for the purpose of poisoning the to
bacco fly. This fly deposits the ega
on the tobacco leaf which matches
worm, and by destroying one fly yor
may destroy many-perhaps-hun
dreds of worms. The gympson weet
will produce a large white fowel
which these flies suck. To poison tn
fly get cobalt, a poisonous powder
put two table spoons full-in half pin
water and then make water swee
with sugar. Put this preparation II
blossom every evening. Pull off tn
blossom before putting poison in it t.
prevent poison killing the stalk, anc
then attack 1t to leaf. 1t is q goot
plan to pull all flowers not poisoned
SO as to be more certain to poison tn
fly. This is a prevention for worm!
and works well. But if you fail ir
your efforts of prevention and art