The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1900-01-30


tobacco. Iprepare my land thorough
ly just before my plants are ready to
set out. lay off my land 81 feet be
tween the rows, and make the hills or
pats three feet in the row. drill from
400 to 500 pounds of some good fertili
Fer to the acre.
When get season for setting out,
I draw out the largest plants first and
keep them separate from the others.
as large plant will usually grow off
quicker than a smaller one; by this
plan have my tobacco more uniform
IN the field. never like for my plants
Co get bruised or the roots to get dry,
as this will prevent them from starting
IF early after they are set out.
When set out my tobacco I wan5
to work it just as quickly as can; {;
this working will give the plants an
early start
Never let your tobacco get grassy,
as this will stunt it's gro With, and make
it small and probably late. lay my
tobacco by, or stop cultivation when
he plants are about 10 CT II inches
high. Inever like for my land 60 bake
and usually plow my tobacco atIer
every hard rain until lay i5 by. Some
lay that when it is rainiU g nearly
every day that they cannot keep the
grass out, but find by using cuitive-
tors can soon run ever my crop, and
should the ground continue too wet to
ploW, I take hoes and scrape around
the plan Is. By this plan can keep
Ghe grass cut without injury TO the to
baccO.
When tho plants get in top you
reach the most difficult points in grow
ing tob9 b9cco-that is, TO know just now
mang leaves to leave on each stalb.
Cois will depend on the growth. If it
is large, vigorous plant, top it to 10
IT II leaves after priming. In printing
al ways leave the first two long leaves
on the stalk say, from % 10 inches
from the ground.
A tobacco plant is shaped like a
hornets nest. It starts small from the
ground and slopes out broad; then il
Uapers to the bud. A small, weak plant
should never be topped as high as a
large, vigorous one. It you top too
| low the plant will have a tendency to
droop, which will usually make a com
mon leaf Ifyou fad you have topped
IA her too high, break cut the top
K ayes until it Ia right,
After topping, keep the suckers eff
Nzver let them get them get over
inches long. There are usually 0u5 two
fun coats Of suckers GO the Leaf, but
sJme times there are more, owing 10
the failure to get the fiis5 suckers Cff
clean.
IL is important to keep the worms
off, "a a leaf eaten in part will not make
a wrapper, and will have 20 be put in
the filler pile, which is less valuable.
When tobacco ceases to bear suckers
it is usually ripe, though this is not an
infallible rule. 1t is very important
to have your tobacco ripe when cut,
and good Judgment should be used, as
green tobacco brings the lowest price
Of all tobaccos. Tobacco should not
stand long after it ia ripe, ss it will
soon begin to dead, speck, and burn at
the bottom of the plant, ard will be
come thin and papery, which general y
makes a nondescript tobacco.
IL ! am not satisfied about my 10
bacco being ripe, 1 take a leaf from an
average plant, and heng i5 in a close
rom. Is the tobacco is ripe the leaf
will yellow whiteish color, or what I
term d clear yellow. If il ia not ripe,
the leaf will go dark, AMI Will be
sereaked with green. If this occurs
le5 your tocacco stand longer before
cutting.
have been mistaken about tobacco
being ripe from the color Of the leaf
Tobacco is not always r.pe when the
leaf looks yellow. If the weather is
dry and hot the leaves will turn elbow,
while really the plant is green,
When cutting tobacco drop sticks
in every fourth row, sufficiently close
to hang the plants as they are cut. II
l should decide to pick out the ripe
pants and leave the greer 9nes, the
sticks left over will be ready for the
g. cond cutting. usually put from 6
to 8 plants on each stick. One person
can hold sticks for two to cut. When
the sticks are full lay them gently on
the ground with the stalks towards the
sun, when the tobacco is supple, so
that the leaves will not break off in
hanging. load on wagon two coops
Of about 80 sticks each, and haul to
the harm and nlaca the sticks 8 inches