The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1897-08-21
FARMER AND PLANTER.
TOBACCO CULTURE.

TOBACCO CULTURE.
Results Observed by the North Carolina
Experiment Station.
While the cultivation of tobacco Is
aot as general or extensive as that Of
the principal food products, it forms
hn important branch of agricu1 tural
industry. 1t requires more careful and
intelligent culture than the other
large. agricultural crops. II yields
steadily to the varying. influence Of
climate, soils, fertilizers, cultivation.
harvesting and curing. and, perna ps
there Is no farm product the money
value of which is enhanced to such a
degree by a practical and intelligent
knowledge Of these agencies. The sue
cess or failure in growing certain type
oftobacco depends to great extent upon
the character of the soil.
The North Carolina experiment sta
ton has given the subject mature con-
sideration and deduce therefrom the
following observations.
l. The largest average yields III the
United States are from the New En-
gland states, where in some cases the
amount produced was from 1880 to
1900 pounds per acre.
2. Most of the seed leaf and light
body tobaccos are used. for domestic
trade, while the heavier types are en-
ployed largely for shipping purposes.
8. The seed-leaf varieties average the
highest price, and the bright varie-
ties of North Carolina and Virginia
rank next lin value. but these relative
values are often changing.
=. With few exceptions fertilizers
are employed in the production of to-
bacco, but in varying amounts. When
1t can be obtained, stable manure is .
favorite to be used for the growth of
heavy tobacco in connection with CON-
mercial fertilizers. The largest amounts
are used in the New England states,
where 1t Is not uncommon to apply
from one TO one and one-half tons per
acre. In the southern states very much
smaller amounts are employed, and it
Is often customary on newly-cleaned
land to use little or none.
5. The land depreciates with con-
tinual cropping, except where large
amounts of fertilizers and rational sys-
TENS of rotation are employed.
6. The value of tobacco lands as they
are quoted is more largely due to local
influences, as much as from the spe-
cial merits possessed by these soils for
the production of fine qualities of to-
bacco.
z. The land best suited for the pro-
duction of a fine quality of tobacco is
q well-drained sandy soil or sandy
loan.
8. Limestone and clay soils produce
q rather strong tobacco. with large
nicotine content.
=. All soils where successive crop.
ping is practiced, require the addition
Of fertilizers to produce the best posi-
bic quality.
10. The chemical analysis of tobacco
has been of considerable value in reach
ing correct understanding as to the
suitable plant foods for developing de-
sirable qualities in the leaf.
IL. OF the samples analysed, the per-
centage of mid-rib in the leaf varied
from 1871 to. "a per cent. in weight
Owing to the great difference in the
composition of the parts. it is desirable
that the analyses be made separately,
in order that correct understanding
of the composition of the part actually
used in manufacture may be ascer-
tanned.
-. While heavy manuring with nitro
genous manures may produce a some
what inferior quality, especially with
the heavier tobaccos, the gain in
quantity will, under favorable condi-
tions, more than compensate for the
loss in quality.
IL. The percentage of nicotine and
albuminoids is materially increased by
the use of large quantities of nitro
genous manures.
IA. A large percentage of nitrogen in
the form of albuminoids is usually &C
companied by q large nicotine content.
Is. The percentage of nicotine in the
leaf is largest just rs the leaf reaches
maturity, but the amount is materially
reduced by the various processes of fer
mentation to which the product is sub
jected before manufacture.
10. While nicotine is the active prin-
ciple Of tobacco and is desirable to q
certain extent, 1t is found that high
priced varieties contained q relatively
small percentage.
II. The nitric nitrogen is chiefly con-
fined to the stems, and is not present in
the leaf in sppreciable amounts, except
when large quantities of heterogeneous
fertilizers are present in the soil. Its
presence as such seems to be Of no
special Importance.
1s.. Relatively larger quantities of
potash seem to be required for the
growth and production of q good quail
ity of smoking tobacco, than any other
fertilizer constituent.
10. The percentage of ash constitu-