Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1897-01-07
TOBACCO CULTURE.
How to Plant, Grow, Cure and
Handle Tobacco

How to Plant, Grow, Cure and
Handle Tobacco
SELECTION OF SEED.
There is no farm crop grown as
a staple in the United States that
pays better than "good" tobacco ;
and to grow good tobacco requires,
in the first place, good seed; for
good seed is at the foundation of
all successful farming; and more
essential, if possible, as regards
tobacco than in any other crop.
For in this, the range of types,
grades, and prices, are wider than
i'll any other crop, while the seed
affect and control all these more
than any other factor. Soil, eli
mate and management, next to va
riety, operate to determine the
character of the product.
The variety must be suited to
the type which the planter intends
to raise, and the soil must be
adapted to the type, OF failure is
certain.
Bright, yellow tobacco cannot
be produced on dark, rich soil,
nor rich, dark "shipping' on poor
gray soil; nor will the rich, coarse
varieties produce fine, silky, yell
low goods, or the thin, silky va
%rieties make heavy, fat, tough, ex-
port tobaccos.
PREPARATION OF PLANT BEDS.
Select a place for your plant
bed with a southern exposure, one
protected as much as possible from
wind, and sheltered on the North
by woods, if possible, dig and
shovel out a space 5x12 feet, OF
any required length, to the depth
of Is inches. Rake over nicely,
then place down poles from 2 to 4
inches in diameter, 81 to 4 feet
apart, over the entire surface to
be burned. Then place brush
thickly over the plat and weight
down with wood, over which throw
leaves, trash or other combustible
material over this sprinkle ker-
osene oil, and set the whole Oh
fire and burn at one operation.
But any mode of burning the
iplat will suffice, provided that il
is effectually done. After the plat
has been burned and has cooled
rake off the large Goals and brands
but let the ashes remain, as they
are essentially afirst-class manure
Then coulter over the plat deeply
OF break with grub-hoes, and
make fine the soil by repeated
chopping and raking, observing
not to bring the subsoil to the sur
face, and remove all roots an6
tufts. Manure from the stable
hog-pen, or poultry house, usually
from 2 to 3 cart loads of gooc
stable manure, and about one
bushel of good guano to 100
square yards of plant bed are
used, or some reliable commercial
fertilizer, should be chopped into
and thoroughly incorporated will
the soil while preparing the bee
to be sown. Experience has dem,
onstrated that it is better to US
both.
Agood tobacco fertilizer, mixet
with equal quantity of poultry
house droppings, and thorough,
incorporated, makes a most excel
lent manure for plants, and ST
does a compost made with selected
chemicals, stable manure and rich
moist earth. The latter, whel
composted in time, is the best am
surest. But beware of using ma
nure containing grass seed. TIL
Judgment of the planter mus
guide him in the amount of ferti
lizing material to be applied a
this stage.
Sow at the rate of a tablespoon
full of seed, which is about hal
an ounce, on every fifty squar,
yards, at first. sowing, and later re
sow with a heaping teaspoonfu
over the same surface, to secure
!|good stand. Injury by frosts c.
bugs may require a fourth sowing
IlSow a little thick, rather than to,
thin, to meet contingencies, ant
secure a good stand in time.
fro BE CONTINUED.