The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-01-01

a uniform progress and growth. The care
less use OF the cultIvator or hoe invariably
checks more or less the growth of the
plants and moditle5 more or less strikingly
the general character" In cultivatiug
always work the soil ITO the plant IT, Is
better to pull up a few weeds and punches
OF grass near the plant than to Use a tool,
because OF the danger OF injlIring the roots
F'ERTILIZERS
In ferttlizing toe tobacco plant there Is
need to consider both the yield OF the crop
lizers upon the quality of the finished leaf.
Ihere are certain substances which can not
DO used without inJuriously affecting the
burning qualities Of the leaf. Chlorine,
which is contained in common salt, inuriate
Of potash. biinlt and generally n the
bower and cheaper forms Of potas
salts, is decidedly injurious TO the burning
Qualities OF tobacco. SMphate of potash,
when used in excess, lis generally believed
TO lbs injurious to the burning qualities of
the cigar leaf. Excess OF glhosphoric acid
Is injurious. ss 1T effects tine color OF the
ash. According to Neseler's observations,
the more phcsphoric acid there Is In a
SON the more OF it is taken UP by the to-
cacco plant. Excess of nitrogen, especially
.zels and fresh animal mIanare. makes a
coarEe. thick leaf which Is aunfav0rable for
the wrapper types, but Is quite favorable
TO some OF the manufacturing and export
types.
AZ rule. care must be taken in the pro-
dncttsn OF cigar wrapper leaf and in the
bright yellow leaf OF Virginia and North
Carolina to use only moderate quantities OF
stable manure or intmal heterogeneous man
ures OF any kind, as it is not desired that
the leaf should be thick and coarse. With
the heavy export types grsnt quantities of
these ananuree may be usei to advantage.
Large quantities OF mineral nianures are
used in the production of both the wrapper
leaf for cigars and tha bright yellow to-
bacco. as these are both grown on very
poor sandy soils which depend manly for
their food supply upon the minerals ap-
Piled
DR.. Goessman summarizes the results of
the field experiments with the cigar to-
bacco in Massachusetts in bulletin No. AZ
CT the Massachusetts, experiment station, as
follows:
Cotton seed meal and castor pumice
have proved quite good sources of nj
Hrogen for the successful raising of to-
bacco when used in connection with
nitrate Of soda or potash sufficient to
furnish one-fourth of THE nitrogen
called for by the crop. Cotton seed
hull ashes and high-grade sulphate OF
potash have proved. in our observation,
most valuable sources OF potash for to-
bacco. Acid phosphate and phosphate
Stag are used In preference to animal
phOsphates. The standard fertilizer.
recommended by the station, was phos-
phate 3 per cent, nstrigen . per cent
ana potash Is per cent. There have
been so many conflicting claims made
as the result OF careful experiments In
different localities that ii Is evident
that the nature of the coil. the char
acter OF the season. and other factors
which are not known at present have
SO much influence that no precise state
ment can be made OF the best fertilizers
for tobacco.
From 200 hounds to ton OF commerclal
fertilizers are commonly applied per acre
to tire tobacco crop. Sonrs'times rs much
as two tens are used when high grade
wrapper leaf or thin. bright tobacco can be
produced. The fertilizer may be either
broadcasted or drilled In the row Just be-
fore the plants are set out Sometimes the
fertilizer Is applied in two or three appli-
cations during the season.
TOPPING.
The objective point in the life Of "a Plant
is the production OF seed for the perpetua-
tion OF the species. When the seed head
forms and develops, the nourishment Is
gradually transferred from the leaves and
used for the formation ana production OF
seed. In plant like tobacco. which Is
valued for the quality OF the lead, 1t is nee
essary to remove the seed head as It forms,
in order that the nutrit.ve substance may
remain in the leaf. When the bud is re-
moved the plant throws ou. suckers ut the
junction OF the leaves. ana these also must
be promptly removed or the leaf will lose
part OF the nutritiye matter wfich has been
STORED up in It.
Just when IL the proper time to top Is q
disputed question. II depends upon the va
nety OF the plant. tine yigor OF growth, and
the conditions Of soil and climate. as we'll
rs uDon the use tor which the tobacco Ii in
nutritiye matter in the leaves amt 10 In
tended. To retain the greatest amount Of
drice uniform npening Of the plant the
bloom bud should be removed as soon as IL
appears.
Just how much Of the top should be re-
moved in taking cut the bud also dspends
upon the variety Of tobacco and upon the
strength and Vitality Of the plant. Strong,
vigorous plants are topped high. When q
good stand 10 obtained at planting, the
plants will bud about the same time. but
all the plants of field viii not be ready
TO top At the sans time, aud : great deal
Of Judgment Il REQUIRED TO know when to
remove the bud. This judsment d based
upon the vitality Of the plant and Tor what
purpose the leaves arS TO be GROWN. II V
necessary. therefore 70 80 over the held
feverai tir1es 70 remove tha BUDS. ard afteg
the Arst tins - euekers ~ feEnoyed q