Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1907-03-13

greatly to the yield of the crop and to
the quality OF the product. Lands that
under ordinary conditions would make a
yield OF poor, papery tobacco lacking In
gummy or oily matters n untitled for
shipping purposes, may be made to pro-
duce a very high type Of tobacco by the
liberal application OF a well-compounded
fertilizer with suitable ingredients. It is
out using some fertilizer. It not only
improves the quality n increases the
weight OF the cured tobacco, but it gives
an early start to the plant, which soon
ravages of grasshoppers and other in
sects.
After the hills are made, the quicker
the plants are set out the better. During
the first half Of May there is usually
enough humidity in the soil to mak the
TRANSFORMING safe without rain. 1t is
best, however, to set out Immediately
after a rain, provided the fall of rain is
not so heavy as to thoroughly soak the
ground. In this case it is better to wait
until the excessive water is drained away.
A peg an inch or an incn and a half
in diameter and six or eight inches long
and sloped for one-third of the length
to a blunt point, is used for setting out
the plants. A hole is made with it in
the hill into which the roots of the plants
are thrust. The dirt is then pressed to
the plant by the thumb on one side and
the peg on the other. One person usually
drops for two setting out. A hand plant,
hat is an extra plant to begin with,
facilitates greatly the planting, as it may
be adjusted in the hand in passing from
one hill to another. The plant dropped
on one hill is the one set out in the next.
CULTIVATION OF THE CROP.
In about eight to ten days after the
plants are set out in the open field,
cultivation should begin by running a
furrow on each side of the row with a
single horse turning pillow, the bar of the
pillow being run as closely as possible to
and so endangering their vitality. This
leaves a narrow ridge with the plants
standing on it. Hoes are then brought
into requisitien to scrap away any grass
or weeds that may nave made their ap-
pearance. 1t is a good practice to draw
a little dirt up around the plants after
breaking the crust which generally
crowns the top of the ridge. This initial
working is probably the most important.
For subsequent working cultivators may
be run at intervals of a week or ten days
both ways through the tobacco. This is
especially important after every rain. 1t
is now the practice of the best tobacco
growers. to use level cultivation. 1t was
once thought necessary to put a sup
porting hill around each plant at the
first cultivation. This practice has been
area of range for the roots of the plants
and also lessons the amount of humidity
within reach of the roots and his hui
nudity grows more important as the
leaves expand. The lar should never
be worked when it is wet. When the
plants have attained a size that makes
it impossible to use a pillow or ~cultivator
without damage from the breakage or
leaves, it will be found advantageous to
cut out with hoes or to pull up with the
hands any grass, weeds or bushes that
may spring up. Every alien growth will
damage the quality of the tobacco.-FroEa
Virginia-Carolina Fertilizer Almanac.
We nave not space enough reprint the
balance of this article.