Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1896-02-13
FARMER AND PLANTER.
TOBACCO CULTURE.
Some Useful Hints to be utilized rs tn,
Senson Approaches.

cehsoh Approaches.
The first thing in tobacco culture is
the preparation of the plant.beds.
This work should be done in the latter
half of February or the LIST of March,
according to the condition of the
weather. For beds select rich spot
on a warm, sunny slope, whore thAsan
and warm south winds will greatly rid
in bringing the tiny seeds into life,
and insure strong, healthy plants.
The first thing to be done is to clean
the ground Of all rubbish and trash,
and prepare It for burning, to destroy
all foul weed seed. A very good mate
rial to do the burning with is brush,
pieces of rails or old logs. After the
burning, as soon as the bed has cooled,
dig and pulverize the soil thoroughly
to receive the small seeds. Great care
should be taken not to sow the seed
too thickly. Many plant-beds are
ruined by being too thick, as
this makes the plants tender and easily
injured by the hot sun after they have
been set out. A teaspoonful Of seed is
sufficient to SOW bed ten feet square.
Mix the seed with sifted ashes or corn
meal to insure ITS even distribution
over the bed, After the seed is sown
the surface of the bed should be settled
smoothly. Ina piece of board IS inches
square and two inches thick bore hole
in the center, and fit in an old broom
handle. Take hold of the end of the
handle and gently pat over the surface
of the bed. This method is much
easier and neater than tramping. The
beds should not be more than nine
feet wide, but may be as long as de-
sired. A bed of this width will take
three strips Of canvas, one yard wide,
sewed together, to cover it, and it will
be found more convenient In many
ways than wider bed The beds
should be attended to carefully, and
kept clean of weeds, which will be sure
to make their appearance.
The preparation of the ground for
the plants should be carefully and
thoroughly done. The ground should
be plowed from eight to ten inches
deep; if sod, it should be plowed early,
in order that the soil may settle and
the sod rot. Thoroughly pulverize the
soil and get it in good condition. Mark
off the ground into rows three feet
eight inches apart; and If commercial
fertilizer is used, drill in the row with
cord-drill which has fertilizer at
tachment. This will be found much
easier and better than hand-dropping.
Alter the fertilizer is drilled, make hills
from two to two and one-half feet
apart, and you are now ready for n
season" The plants should be trans.
planted, or "set," from May 20 to June
10, but better in May, as it will give
the tobacco more time to mature before
frost. In setting the plants, be careful
to straighten out the roots and to get
them covered with soil, to insure a
good and speedy start.
After the plants have been set for
from three to five days, run between
the rows with a cultivator. In week S
time run through again with the cult
vator and hoe carefully. Cultivate as
level as possible to hold the moisture.
Soil under level cultivation will not dry
as easily as that hoed in ridges along
the rows. The crop should be Guilt
waited at least twice with the hoe and
four times with cultivator. Do not,
under any circumstances, cultivate
when the crop is ready to top, as cult
waiting at this time breaks and Injuries
the numerous small roots which the
plant sends out after food and moisture.
have seen cases in which considera bic
damage was done by late cultivation,
especially in dry season.
BE careful to look out for worms, as
they may take you unawares and dc
considerable damage before they can
be checked. If the crop is large and
the worms very plentiful, it will be
found quite task to pick them off by
hand. A great many growers resort
to poisoning. This is done by mixing
Paris green with water, land-plaster OF
-four, and sprinkling the tobacco with
the mixture.
The next important point in tobacco
culture is the topping. If you have
had favorable season, and your cror
has grown well, it should be ready to
top at least by August %. In this
work considerable judgment should be
exercised. If you top too low, you lost
perhaps several leaves that woult
make good tobacco; if too high, 'Sh'
plant will not spread and make per
fcctly developed leaves; usually from
16 to 20 leaves left to a plant will b,
about right.
In about two weeks after the plan
is topped the first set of suckers
makes their appearance, which mus
be broken out by hand. Two week.
later second set of suckers come on
when the same process must be gon,
over again. By this time the crop vii
be ripening and nearly ready to cut.
When the tobacco is ripe it become
very thick and heavy; it also has vel
lowish cast, spotted with green.
| very BOOu ucSU 10 W uOuDlc pdTb u
the leaf back with thumb and finger
and if it cracks or breaks, it is consid
cred in fairly good condition for cut
ting. Now for the cutting. Put til
stick in slanting position at tn
root of plant. Take the knit
in the right hand, start it down tn
stalk, and gaging it so as t.
miss the leaves as much as possible
let the hand follow the split, an,
when the knife is within about 81.
inches of the root Of the plant, remov
it from the split, slightly bend tn
stalk over with the left hand, and wit
one stroke of the knife cut the stalk Of
below the leaves. Take hold of tn
end of the stalk with the right hand
keep the left hand in the slit, raise tn
plant and with quick movement
bring the plant down astride the stick
Put five or six large plants on eacl