Tabor City tribune. (Tabor City, N.C.) 1946-1991, 1959-06-17

The most of you have already
gotten your Tugs or your first
and second groupings out of the
field. Up to this point you have
gone to a lot of trouble and ex-I
pense in making this one of the
best tobacco groupings we have
had in Columbus County at this
season of the year in a number
of years. You cannot afford to do.
anything at this time that would
decrease the amount of money,
you can get from your crop dur
ing marketing season. You stand
to lose much of your effort and
money that you have put into the
crop by careless harvesting and
curing. Many Columbus growers
lose considerable money and
quality in their tobacco out Of.
the field.
All the major buying compan-
les have stated that they want.
ripe tobacco. So. we strongly rec
ommend that you let your tobac-
co ripcn in the field this year.
Ripe and green tobacco cannot
be cured in the same barn at the
same time and end up with good
quality in all Of your tobacco. 7
realize that you have a labor prob
lem and that YOU have number
of other problems coming UP
every week during harvesting
season; but if at the same time
there is tendency with most
/ growers TO crop tobacco before
/ ii is mature and to take off too
I many lower leaves II each CROP
ping This especially truc with
tn" last few groupings. when the
market is about to open and you
feel that it is impossible for the
market to open as long as you
have tobacco in the field.
Immature tobacco. even though
! II may have a bright color. is
moro inclined to be slick and
'papcry) especially along the
midribs.
\ For good cure on your ripe
tobacco you must have uniform
leaves to start with: you deter
mine the quality in the field and
not in the curing barn. You can
only cure what you put in the
barn. So, you can only expect
to bring out as good quality as
you put in.
u One of the main requirements
for a good cure is good air move
ment through the barn. See to
il that you have good air move
ment by checking to see that you
have adequate ventilation in the
bottom and top of the barn and
enough space between the sticks
so that air can pass through east
ly.
i Don't overload the barn. Most
cases II will pay to limit the
number Of leaves to an average
of about three, depending on the
size of the leaves. Put 80 To IS
hands per stick and space the
sticks about ten inches apart on
the tier pole.
Another must for tobacco grow
ers this year is to keep your
spray and dust equipment ready
for action. Check your field
every few days for signs of horn
worms. bud worms or other In
sects. Be on the lookout for first
signs of insect damage and be
ready to apply treatment at
once IL pest appears.
I realize that tobacco growers
have about all the problems that
they need and you want to fin
ish curing your tobacco before
the market opens, but in 1859 I
think the important thing in to-
bacco production is to produce
good quality tobacco made from
good ripe tobacco and let the
market open when Il wants to.
Let's put It this way - you have
done good job so far this year.
So, why get In such a hurry
now, because you income depends
on you from here on out. Walk
to the fields and see that your
tobacco is ripe before harvest
ing. One good way to tell wheth-
er tobacco is ripe OF not Is to see
a few leaves burning.
A good slogan that should be
adopted by every Columbus
County tobacco grower this year
would be Don't get in too big a
hurry; don't crop too fast; don't