Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1900-05-04
FARMER AND PLANTER.
HINTS TO TOBACCO GROWERS.
A Few Suggestions for beginners In
the Cultivation of the To-
bacco Plant.

The tobacco plart is one OF the lead
ing agricultural pa oducts of the Unit
ed States. Over one-half million acres
Of choice lands are devoted to this
crop, end the annual production !
amounts TO more than 500,000,000 |
pounds. AS most of the crop is grown |
in Kentucky, Virginia, Ohio and the
Carolinas there is an income to this |
particular tobacco-growing district OF
our country, sum equal 10 S25,000,- |
600 every year, We import much Of
the finer wrappers from Cuba and SUI
matra, for which Is expended fully |
S20,0O0,000 yearly. These figures give
the magnitude of the work Of grow
ing tobacco for home consumption
and the great field yet open for those
who wish to engage in planting the
crop. In addition to its value for
cigars and chewing purposes, the
plant has medicinal virtues not pos
sessed by any other weed in the land.
1t is an excellent insecticide, splen-
did fertilizer and plant worthy the
consideration of agriculturists in ev-
cry section where it can be grown.
Tobacco is peculiar plant, in re-
tanning the shape of II hornets nest.
1t grows up to two to four feet in
height, when it is topped and spreads
out, still maintaining its symmetrical
proper tons. 1t is grown from seed
sown in outdoor beds about February,
or even as late as April, if seed is
soaked before sowing. One tablespoon
full of seed will sow 100 square yards
of bed. 1t is well to burn brush heap
on the seed bed to kill out other seeds,
then dig in the ashes, rake smoothly
and SOW on the surface. After raldng
in evenly cover the bed with fine
brush or plant cloth. When the leaves
are as large as silver dollars the plants
are ready for resetting. In most sec
items tobacco should be in the field by
the last of May, to give it time to
mature. II should be set in rows about
three feet apart either way, using
dibble, while the land is wet, to make
the holes for transplanting, and there
are several good varieties, among
them being Burley, Seed Leaf and
Kentucky Yellow.
The soil for tobacco varies with the
demands of the grower. For high
quality leaf the land should be new
and contain a great deal of leaf mold.
The heavy red leaf is grown on red
clay soil, after clover or other fertiliz-
ing crops. The quality of the leaf de-
ponds largely on the nature of the
plant. food supplied. Materials con-
tanning chlorine should be avoided.
High grade sulphate of potash is the
best form of potash. Acid phosphate
is good for phosphoric acid and sui
phate of ammonia or nitrate of soda
for nitrogen. A suitable mixture per
acre would be about $50 to 400 pounds
of acid phosphate, 200 to $50 pounds
sulphate of potash and from 200 to
$50 pounds sulphate of ammonia or
nitrate of soda. If a complete fertil-
izer is applied it should contain about
per cent. phosphoric acid, 10 per
cent. potash and per cent. nitrogen,
of which 500 to 1000 pounds per acre
would make fair application.
Cultivation must be thorough, to
prevent the surface of the soil, baking
and to keep down weeds and grass.
For this purpose the ordinary tooth
cultivators, supplemented with hand
hoeing, are the best tools. Worms will
destroy the plant if not removed
hence care must be taken in this re-
spect. Topping is usually performed
by pinching out the top or button
when the plants have 10 10 IS leaves.
Suckers will come above each leaf for
at least two times before ripenina,
and must be broken off by hand. Cut
ting is best done with regular tobac-
co knives that split the stalk down the
center to within about six inches Of
the ground, when it is cut off and
hung over sticks. The sticks are gen
orally feet in length and hold or 0
plants. After the leaves are wiltcd
the tobacco is hauled to the barns and
hung up to cure.
The furnace method of curing is
that generally adopted. This keeps
the barn at temperature of from 20
to 90 degrees until the sap is out Of
the stems. Each plant contains from
to grades or sorts of tobacco,
These are stripped separately and tied
in hands or bundles varying from n
half dozen to two dozen leaves. This,
of course, in done in damp weather,
when the leaves can be handled with
out breaking. If it is not desirable
to market at stripping time the hands
or bundles may be put on sticks, or
8 to stick, and hung up again. Bulk
ing is done after all the stripping has
been completed and each sort or grade
Is put together. The crop is usually
sold to merchants, who put it in hogs
| heads ready for the manufacturers