Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-02-04
Tobacco as a Money Crop

cured tobacco is increasing rapidly
in the southeastern states. In view
Of this fact, farmers are much in
terested in securing reliable infor-
nation on this subject. To meet
this demand among our readers, the
following brief summary on this
subject has been prepared. 1t rep
resents the best information avail
able and bears the approval of the
agricultural division of the Georgia
State College of Agriculture.
Tobacco leaf When cured is classi-
fled as cigar Tobacco, export tobacco.
and manufacturing tobacco. F. e
class is also divided further into
types according to characteristics
and uses. Differences in soil and
climate have great influence uopn
the quality of tobacco leaf, hence
particular types are grown in we'll
defined areas. New types are not
in demand and efforts to introduce
them are likely to fail. 1t would
not be wise for the new grower to
begin tobacco business on big
scale.
+ is the purpose of this publica
ton to deal with some of the prin
cipal things the beginner should
know and do until the time for Gull
tivation. This circular is written to
apply mainly to the conditions in
southern Georgia where most of the
tobacco in this state is grown.
The principal type of tobacco in
Georgia is the bright leaf or tiue-
cured tobacco. However, some shad-
ed tobacco is grown. To grow shad-
ed tobacco successfully requires
more skill and capital than the other
types and, therefore, will not be
discussed in this article.
Varieties of bright leaf tobacco
that have probably succeeded best
in southern Georgia are the Warren
on the sandy soils and SHADES Col
den Leaf on the dark or heavier
soils. By far the greater quantity
of tobacco is grown on the sandy
soils of which Triton and Norfolk
sandy loans are the prevailing
types. Tobacco has been grown more
| successfully on old lands than on
new lands. Tobacco grows best aft
3r II clean cultivated crop, such as
cotton.
Seed may be obtained from any
reputable seed house md the tobac-
co warehouses Ross & F'enner ware
house, at Douglas, Ga, or Rocky
Mount, N. c., has been furnishing
the growers a great deal of seed.
selected. \ The following factors
should determine the selection:
1. The plant bed should have a
southern exposure where it would
get the morning sun ...
2. Where possible select a place
in woods near branch.
g.. Select a ell-drained, dark,
sandy loan. Water at no time should
flood the plants. Gallberry brush
patches near branch where the soil
looks dark usually make good beds.
4. Select a soil free from crawfish
holes.
The plant beds may be made vari-
Gus sizes, depending on the number
of plants needed and the nature of
land on which the beds are located.
The main points to consider are: .
/. A plat 5x20 yards will furnish
enogh plants for five acres.
2. Clear away all shrubbery, if any.
3. Pile brush on the spot selected
and burn the bed to free it of weed
and grass seeds.
Spade up the bed thoroughly aft
err it has been freed of roots and lit
ter of all kinds.
5. Work into the. bed of above
size 100 pounds of a 9-3-4 fertilizer
composed of a mixture of acid phos-
nhate, cottonSeed meal and 'sulphate
| of potash. A mixture of stable ma
nure and cottonseed meal may be
available. Eight hundred pounds of
Epulverized manure and SO pounds of
cottonseed meal make a desirable ap-
plication for 100 square. yards.
The bed should then be thorough
ty pulverized and made ready for
the seed. l...
+ /. The seed should be sown be-
tween the middle and last of Janu-
ary.
2 For the 100 square yard bed two
heaping tablespoonfuls of seed are
used. Mix the seed with one pint of
shes and then mix with one gallon
of sand. This will make it possible
to sow the seed uniformly over the
entire bed.
8. Enclose the bed by laying logs
at least foot in diameter on every
side. This forms square to which
canvas is attached.
4. Stretch small wire across the
bed about three feet apart from one
log to the other each way. Then can
vas of medium weight cheesecloth is
stretched across the whole bed and
tackled to the logs on every side. The
canvas should be sewn together in
one sheet before it is put over the
bed. The mistake should not be made
in using heavy or thick canvas as It
does not let in sufficient sunlight.
The canvas protects the plants to
a great extent from cold, insects and
disease.
s. A ditch should be dug around
the entire bed with one ditch leading
| off from it to take away the water,
6. The bed should be kept moist
| but should never be allowed TO be-
| come SOggy
IF weeds or grass appear they
must be carefully pulled out by
| hand. If the plants are too thick
| they can be thinned by scratching
| the bed with a rake made by driv-
| ing four penny nails through thin
| board.
2.-Watch the bed carefully for
moles. If mole should get in the
| bed, he must be caught at once or
he will destroy the entire bed.
3.-When plants are three or four
| inches high they are ready to set in
| the field. They should be hardened
| by first removing the canvas few
hours in the middle of the day and
increasing the time until about a
week or ten days when it is left Off
entirely.
MT e,I,o