Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-04-03
THE TOBACCO CROP.

HANDLING THE TOBACCO CROP.
| Tobacco is very particular crop.
F., 1t must be transplanted with skill
| and care. 1t is very essential that
this work be done at the right time.
No crop responds better to prompt
cultivation, which must be thor
ough and efficient. The individual
who is not prepared to give the most
careful attention to these matters
should not undertake tobacco cul-
tivation, as he is doomed to failure
from the start, Tobacco also re-
quires careful protection from GER
tain insect enemies which will dam
age it amazingly in short time. The
best methods of procedure with ref
erence to the transplanting, cultiva-
ton and protection of tobacco
against insect enemies are set forth
in this article, which is based on
data collected by the division of
agronomy, Georgia State College of
Agriculture.
April 1890 is the best time to
transplant tobacco in south Geor-
gia. Usually plenty of rain falls
during this time, and the early
planted tobacco is not troubled so
much with the hornworm as later
paintings. The first crop of worms
is usually small and, if the to-
bacco is planted early, it natures
before the worms are present in the
greatest numbers. Early planted to-
bacco usually has more body than
late tobacco and brings a higher
price on the market.
Before transplanting the land
should be freshened by running
harrow or weeder over it to kill
any weeds or grass. There are horse
transplanting machines on the mar
ket that do good work, and when
one of these is used tobacco may
be set without having to wait for
rain. The machine carries and dis
tributes water for setting the plants.
Most of the tobacco in the Carolinas
and Georgia is transplanted by hand,
usually after a rain sufficient to
cause the plants to live easily. Some
times it is necessary to water plants
It the time of transplanting. This
$ more expensive, but when proper
y done is better than to allow the
plants to become overgrown in the
seed bed. It is usually best to trans
plant in the afternoon or on a cloudy
day. The usual practice is to pull
the plants from the seed bed dur
ing the morning hours if they are
to be used in the afternoon. nnhe bed
should be moist so that the plants
will not be broken in pulling them
out of the ground. Only strong and
vigorous plants should be pulled,
using care not to injure the remain
ing plants. The plants after being
pulled from the bed should be placed
as straight as possible in baskets
with all, Of the roots towards the
bottom Of the basket. A good plan
is to dip the bottom of the basket
in water and set it in the shade
until ready for use.
Any method Of planting that will
gently press the earth to the roots,
leaving the buds of the plants just
above the surface Of the ground, is
all right.
If the transplanting is done by
hand blunt peg, like the one
shown in the illustration, which
makes a hole just deep enough for
the plants, helps to secure a good
stand. If a long stick is used the
holes are usually made too deep,
and when the plants are set the soil
is pressed around them at the sur
face of the ground and the roots
will be left swinging. If the roots
are left swinging most of the plants
will die. The, soil should be ftrmed
around the roots3cf the plant as well
as at the surface OF the ground.
This can be done after the plant is
placed in the hole made for it, by
sticking the peg in the soil abou.
six inches from the plant and pull
ing the top of the peg toward the
plant. This operation will firm the
soil around the plant from the bot
tom of the roots to the surface OF
the ground. .-
The width Of the rows should be
four feet in order to allow the sled
to pass between the rows without
breaking leaves when harvesting.
The distance between the plants N
the row should be governed by the
amount of fertilizer used, the fer
tility ofo the soil and the type of the
tobacco to be produced. Plants are
set 20 to 80 inches apart. For aver
age conditions "a inches is about
The right distance. If the soil is
rich the plants should be set closer
together to kaeD the toha Geo from