The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1907-03-08
Fertilizer For Tobacco.


The use of fertilizers for the grow.
ing of tobacco hastens forward the
crop at least two weeks or more. i
also adds greatly to the yield OF the
crop and to the quality of the prod
uct. Lands that under ordinary con
ditions would make yield OF poor
papery tobacco, lacking in gummy OF
oily matters and untitled for shipping
purposes, may be made to produce
very high type of tobacco by the lib
eral application of well-compoundec
fertilizer with suitable ingredients
1t is now a rare thing to plant tobacco
without using some fertilizer. 1t not
only improves the quality and in
creases the weight of the cured to-
bacco. but it gives an early start to
the plant, which soon grows large
enough to withstand the raVages OF
grasshoppers and other insects.
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 make the transplanttng
safe without rain. 1t is best, how
ever, 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
inch 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 set
ting out A hand plant, that 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.
In about eight to ten days after
the plants are set out in the open
field they will be so we'll established
that cultivation should begin by run
ming a furrow on each side Of the row
with the single horse turning pillow,
the bar of the pillow Being run as
closely as possible to the plants with
out disturbing the roots and so en-
dangering their vitality. This leaves
a narrow ridge with the plants stand
ing on it. Hoes are then brought in
to requisition to scrap away any
grass or weeds that may have made
their appearance. 1t is q good Drac-
tice 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 prob
ably the most important. For subse-
quent 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 leve
cultivation 1t was once thought
necessary to put a supporting hill
around each plant at the first cult
walton. This practice has been aban
doned because it diminishes the ares
of range for the roots of the plants
and also lessons the amount of hui
Nudity within reach of the roots, anC
this humidity grows more importan
as the leaves expand The LAND
should never be worked when it il
wet. When the plants have attained
a size that makes it impossible to us,
a pillow or cultiyator without damage
from the breakage of leaves, it viii
be found advantageous to cut on
with hoes or to pull up with TIT
hands any grass, weeds or bushe
that may spring up. Every aliel
growth will damage the quality o
the tobacco.-From Virginia-Carolin;
Fertilizer Almanac.