The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1901-10-15

TOBACCO CULTURE.

sumption of Tobacco 5{ives growing
interest to all that sbrtains to pro.
duction. This PLAN Is very wide
range of climatic a liability, how
wide has not been 9rtained. Al
most every year tiI tNit growing in
localities where it thought i'm
practical. The wide 4y.nge of growth
is no more surprising than the con-
stantly increasing variety in the
qualities and uses of the different
grades.
Tobacco has it's peculiar habits of
growth and necessities of handling,
and the grower must conform to
these or all his labor will be in vain,
and the result of the years work
will be disappointment and loss. The
plant will grow almost anywhere
and with almost any kind of culture
but it's value when grown will be
quite another thing. Skill is required
at every step in order TO insure a
profit in the end. The range of
values of the different kinds and
qualities shows this: low grade,
black, sand leaf is worth from moth
ing up TO 4 cents per pound. Good,
clean, heavy plug brings from 6 to
y cents per pound. Bright, thin,
frst-class wrappers sell all the way
from 75 cents TO So per pound.
The heavy low grades will grow
almost anywhere. The finer and
lighter qualities require certain
peculiarities of soil and climate and
great skill in growing and curing.
The best Sumatra and Havana varie-
ties come to perfection only when
grown under cover, either of cheese
cloth or Stats. These coverings will
cost from $500 TO $1,000 per acre. To
reach the highest perfection and
reap the greatest profits, very costly
fertiIzing and manuring and irrigat;
ing must be provided for.
When all the conditions are GEM
piled with, fine wrappers may be
grown from Connecticut TO Florida
in the United States, and in Cuba,
Sumatrs and the Philippines and
other islands of the seas and ooun-
tries of the East.
From these hints we see that the
successful growing of tobacco de-
pends more upon the man than upon
the land. First, post yourself as 80
the habits and requirements of grow
ing and curing and marketing or
manufacturing this wonderful plant.
Then select the variety best suited
to your purposes and be sure that
you get good pure seed of the varie-
ties selected. Then prepare the seed
bed by burning the soil so as to kill
the weed seeds, and SOW and cover
the seed very lightly and protect the
beds until your plants are ready TO
transplant. Water the bed if needed.
The soil should be manured broad
cast, with cow manure if possible,
otherwise with compost of cotton
seed meal, acid phosphate and pot
ash, either in kainit or muriate form.
This compost should vary according
to the variety and the purpose ahead.
Every plug should have every per
cent. of potash light wrapper, very
little Break the ground deep, II TO
Is inches, harrow until very fine and
roll it down firm. Keep clean and
cultivate often in shallow. Look
sharp for worms. A pin hole In
young leaf will be a shot hole in a
grown leaf, and few of these will
ruin the sale. There are methods of
catching the moths that lay the eggs.
T.s should be used. For nowhere
Is n ounce of prevention worth
m.re. The details along here are too
numerous for this article, but you
WI find them in your reader and
you must read up if you expect TO
make money growing tobacco.
By far the most important part of
the whole business is curing and
selling. These must be learned from
experience by the aid of experts.
There is money in tobacco If you
know how to handle it. You can
grow from 600 to 1000 pounds per
acre, and sell it from to 800 cents
Per pound.
A great deal will depend upon the
Use Of phosphstes, and muriate and
S0lphate of potash, and kainit in the
Quantity and quality you get.
Experiments are constantly show