The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1901-05-25
FARMER NDPLANTER.
HINTS ON TOBACCO CULTURE.


Il
On large plantations, where the ex-
tent of operations is such that tech-
nical supervision may be used with
profit, the problem of fertilizing to-
bacco according to the soil is more or
less easily handled; the smaller plan-
tations, where the services of an ex-
pert can not be employed profitably,
the fertilizing problem becomes =
more serious matter, and it is to this
class that these remarks are more d.
rectly addressed.
The chief feature in tobacco grow
ing is a perfect maturity of leaf, and
this can only be obtained when the
crop is grown under favorable condi-
tions, not only with reference to cii-
mate, but also with reference to soil,
tillage and fertilization. 1t is taken
for granted in this paper that the
planter has a favorable soil and that
he thoroughly understands the requi-
site tillage; the fertilization problem.
perhaps the most important of all, is
commonly the least understood by the
average planter.
Having in mind in the beginning
that fertilization consist broadly in
supplying certain elements necessary
to the proper maturity of plants, it
should be very clearly understood
what these elements are manurcs,
fertilizers or plant food of any kind.
and this, of course, applies to cotton
seed meal, are useful in promote
| ing plant growth simply because
they contain more or less of what
are known as the ingredients of
plant food-the common names for
these ingredients-there are three of
them-are nitrogen, potash and phos-
phoric acid. When the planter learns
| to regard his fertilizer not as the bulk
| in the bag, but the nitrogen, potash
and phosphoric acid contained in the
bulk of matter in the fertilizer bag,
he has gone long way toward mas
tering the problem of fertilization.
The three fertilizing ingredients
have different uses, and there is con-
siderable variation of opinion as the
extact nature of the separate influ-
ence of each ingredient in different
cultures. Broadly, it is understood
that nitrogen promotes the free
growth of foliage and when used eS-
cessively checks maturity, or natures
the crop unevenly. Potash gives even
maturity to the plant, is the chief
factor in maintaining quality in text
ure of the leaf, and also in aroma as
well as burning qualities;its excessive
use seems to be without injury to the
crop. Phosphoric acid has more par
ticular bearing on the production Of
seed; used in excess it natures the
crop in advance of the proper season
and thereby severely checks the yield,
which in also accompanied by de-
terioration in the quality of the leaf.
i The active function of the three
elements of plant food is also shown
by the chemical analysis of the whole
crop. A crop of 1900 poun Is of leal
and 1900 pounds of stems will con-
tain about 90 pounds of nitrogen, los
bounds of potash and 25 pounds 81
pAosphoric acid. Compared with q
good average crop of wheat (6C
pounds nitrogen. 80 pounds potash
rnd "a pounds phosphoric acid pei
acre). it is quite evident 'thas for to
bacco potash is the most important
element of fertility, a conclusion
quite in accord with the theory as
outlined by scientific men.
4 We must now call attention to ths
action of excessive applications Of
riant food. As shown above an ex
cess of either nitrogen or phosphorit
acid is injurious to the tobacco plant
( end this is an important point to thu
planter. An excess of phosphoric acit
for example, may not mean that enor
nous quantities of the plant fcot
lave been applied, but that very lit
tie potash has been used in a miNtur'
containing. considerable phosphorus
,.cid. AS the crop making power of |
fertilizer is limited by the power pos
sible to that element which is mos
deficient, il follows that fertilizel
low in potash and high in phosphori
acid fulfills all the conditions of al
Excess of phosphate fertilizer. ]
nitrogen is substituted for phosphori
acid in the preceding paragraph, tn
same conditions prevail and The crol
, suffers in quality as well as quautit.
through excessive fertiliza!icli.
II 1t is preferable to call this excessive
: fertilization, as planters almost in
, |.~ariably use far too little fertilizer
.. and it is important to make clea
that light application may be more o
less injurious unless correctly bal
anced. 1t is quite needless to max
recommendations here as to certai
quantities to apply, for different soil
as well as for different types of tobas
, co: the planter will limit his appl
) cation by the length of his purse 6