Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1897-01-14

fore the stalks are ready FOL
priming-from two to three bot.
tom leaves and cure them.
Generally the primings thus
saved will sell for enough to pay
for curing the whole crop.
TOPPING TOBACCO.
There has been a great deal OF
tobacco ruined or damaged by not
knowing how and when to top it.
Never permit it to run up a bloom
before topping; as soon as a but
ton appears it should be topped.
Yet it is not necessary to wait
until a button appears before top
ping, if the tobbaco is of good
size. If the tobacco is topped too
high the bottom leaves will, as q
general thing, burn or fire up be-
fore the top leaves get any way
ripe. If your tobacco is very fair,
the first topping will bear ten to
twelve leaves, and in some cases,
where it is extra large, you may
leave fourteen to sixteen leaves.
~sUCKERING TOBACCO.
Suckering tobacco should be
looked after very carefully, as it is
of too much Importance to neglect.
Take the suckers off as soon as
you cal get hold of them to break
them off-never let them get over
three inches in length. If allowed
to grow they will ruin the quality
as well as lesson the quantity Of
tobacco. The older they get the
tougher they become, and after
they become old. and tough it is
almost a matter of impossibility
to relieve the plant of them with
out injury to the plant in some
way, either by breaking loose the
leaves or damaging the stalk.
WORRYING TOBACCO.
The Importance that is attached
to this part of tobacco raising is
hardly imaginable. Common sense
should teach anyone that they can
not make a crop of tobacco unless
they keep the worms out of it, and
beside worm-cut tobacco will not
sell for a good price on the mar
ket. By all means worm your
tobacco every day, if it needs it.
The best time to worm tobacco is
soon in the morning or late in the
afternoon, as the worms will try
to hide during the middle of the
day, either by going in the ground
or secreting themselves some
where about the stalk.
CUTTING AND HOUSING.
Do not be in a hurry to begin
cutting your tobacco until it is
ripe enough. Ripe tobacco is
known by the granting and thick
ening Of the leaf and change of
color, the leaf assuming a yellow
ish and sometimes notified yellow
and green appearance, and whom
the under surface of the leaf will
crack open on pressure between
the thumb and finger when folded
over.
In cutting, go over the patch
and cut the plants that + as near
the same size and color as posi-
BILE, in order that it may III uni
formly, by using all precaution
possible to prevent breaking the
leaves or bruising the tobacco, as
bruised tobacco will be black
when cured. Put the tobacco,
just as fast as you cut it, on sticks
four to four and a half feet long.
You can tell the length to hare
the sticks, Judging from the size
of the barn. Take the tobacco to
the barn as soon as possible-if
left on the ground even a few min
utes on a very hot day, it will
scald and cure black where scald-
ed. Put five to eight stalks to a
stick, and place the sticks from
eight to ten inches apart in the
barn. It depends on the size of
the tobacco as to the distance you
put it. Bear in mind that you
cannot use too much care in
handling tobacco while in a green
state.
FIXING THE WAGON TO HAUL TO
THE BARN.
Make a frame twelve to sixteen
feet long, put four or six stand
ards on each side, according to
the length of the frame, the same
distance apart.
Have a smooth plank floor, lap
and relap the tobacco, letting the
sticks rest against the standards
on each'side. You must be your
own Judge as to the quantity to
put on for a load, but avoid pill
ing it high enough to bruise the
bottom tobacco. A cart may be
used, but care must be taken not
to bruise the tobacco.
SIZE AND HOW TO BUILD TOBACCO
BARNS.
People differ q little as to the
size to build tobacco barns, but
you cannot select a better size
than % feet square. Select logs