_Of its Culture, with a Description of the Worm that annoys it._
As the tobacco plant, being an annual, is only to be raised from
seed, I would particularly recommend to such as mean to cultivate
it, the greatest care in purchasing these, lest by sowing such as
is not good, they lose, with their expected crop, the season. The
different sorts of the seeds not being distinguishable, like the
plants, from each other, nor the goodness to be ascertained by their
appearance, the purchaser, till he has raised a supply from his own
cultivation, must depend on the veracity of the seedsman; who may be
also sometimes deceived, having nothing to rely on but the honour of
the person who raised it: prudence therefore requires that he should
apply to a person of character in that profession.
In describing the manner in which the plant ought to be raised from
the seed, as well as in the succeeding process, I shall confine
myself (without regarding the methods usually pursued in Virginia or
Maryland, which, from the difference of the climate, can be of little
service here) to the practice of the northern colonies of America;
as these are more parallel in their latitude to England. And there
being even a difference between the climate of these and that of
Great-Britain, to the disadvantage of the latter (I mean with regard
to the cultivation of the tobacco plant) I shall minutely attend
to this variation, and in the directions I give endeavour to guard
against the inconveniences of it. These instructions shall likewise
be given in plain and familiar terms, and not in a language that can
be only understood by the Botanist or Gardener, that this Treatise
may be of general use.
About the middle of April, or rather sooner in a forward spring, (for
the season must be attended to, as this plant will not bear forcing)
sow the seed in beds first prepared for the purpose, composed of
such soil as before described, mixed with some warm, rich manure.
In a cold spring, regular hot beds would be most eligible for this
purpose; and indeed the Gardeners of this country are persuaded,
that the Nicotania cannot be raised in any other way; but as these
are seldom to be found in the garden of the farmer, and as I am
convinced that if the weather is not remarkably severe, they might
be reared without doors, for his benefit I shall give the following
instructions relative to their treatment.
Having sown the seed in the manner directed, on the least
apprehension of a frost after the plants appear, it will be necessary
to spread mats over the beds, a little elevated from the ground by
poles laid across, that they may not be crushed. These however must
be removed in the morning soon after the sun appears, that they may
receive as much benefit as possible from its warmth, and from the
air. In this manner proceed till the leaves have attained the size of
about two inches in length, and one in breadth, which they will do in
about a month after they are sown, or near the middle of May, when
the frosts usually are at an end. One invariable rule for their being
able to bear removal is, when the fourth leaf is sprouted, and the
fifth just appears.
Then take the opportunity of the first rains, or gentle showers, to
transplant them into such a soil and situation as before described.
This must be done in the following manner: The land must be plowed,
or dug up with spades, and made as mellow and light as possible.
Where the plants are to be placed, raise with the hoe small hillocks
at the distance of two feet, or a little more, from each other,
taking care that no hard sods or lumps are in it, and then just
indent the middle of each, without drilling holes as for some other
plants.
When your ground is thus prepared, dig in a gentle manner from their
native bed, such plants as are arrived at the state before-mentioned,
and drop, as you pass, one on every hillock. Insert a plant gently
into each center, pressing the soil around it with your fingers, and
taking the greatest care, during the operation, that you do not break
off any of the leaves, which are at this time exquisitely tender. If
the weather proves dry, after they are thus transplanted, they must
be watered with soft water, in the same manner as is usually done to
coleworts or plants of a similar kind.
Notwithstanding you now appear to have a sufficient quantity of
plants for the space you intend to cultivate, yet it is necessary
that you continue to attend to your bed of seedlings, that you may
have enough to supply any deficiences which, through accident, might
arise. From this time great care must be taken to keep the ground
soft, and free from weeds, by often stirring with your hoe the mould
round the roots; and to prune off the dead leaves that sometimes are
found near the bottom of the stalk.
The difference of this climate from that in which I have been
accustomed to observe the progress of this plant, will not permit me
to direct with certainty the time which is most proper to take off
the top of it, to prevent it from running to seed. This knowledge
can only be perfectly acquired by experience. When it has risen to
upwards of two feet, it commonly begins to put forth the branches on
which the flowers and seeds are produced; but as this expansion, if
suffered to take place, would drain the nutriment from the leaves,
which are the most valuable part, and thereby lessen their size and
efficacy, it becomes needful at this stage to nip off the extremity
of the stalk, to prevent its growing higher. In some other climates
the top is commonly cut off when the plant has fifteen leaves. If
the tobacco is intended to be a little stronger than usual, this is
done when it has only thirteen; and sometimes, when it is chosen to
be remarkably powerful, eleven or twelve leaves only are allowed to
expand. On the contrary, if the planter is desirous to have his crop
very mild, he suffers it to put forth eighteen or twenty: but in this
calculation the three or four lower leaves next the ground, which do
not grow so large and fine as the others, are not to be reckoned.
This is denominated "topping the tobacco," and is much better done by
the finger and thumb, than with any instrument, because the former
close, at the same time, the pores of the plant; whereas, when it is
done with the latter, the juices are in some degree exhausted. And
though this might appear unimportant, yet every method that tends to
give vigour to the leaves should be carefully pursued.
For the same reasons care must be taken to nip off the sprouts that
will be continually springing up at the junction of the leaves with
the stalks. "This is termed succouring or suckering the tobacco," and
ought to be repeated as often as occasion requires.
The last, and not the least concern in the cultivation of this plant,
is the destruction of the worm that nature has given it for an enemy,
and which, like many other reptiles, preys on its benefactor. To
destroy these, which are the only insects that molest this plant,
or at least to keep them under, for it is impossible totally to
exterminate them, every leaf must be carefully searched. As soon
as a wound is discovered, and it will not be long before it is
perceptible, care must be taken to destroy the cause of it, who will
be found near it, and from his unsubstantial texture, which I shall
describe at the conclusion of this chapter, be easily crushed: but
the best method is to pluck it away by the horn, and then crush it.
Without a constant attention to these noxious insects, a whole field
of plants may be soon destroyed; and even if any of them are left in
the leaves, during the cure, they prove equally destructive. This
is termed "worming the tobacco;" and as these worms are found most
predominant the latter end of July, and the beginning of August, they
must be particularly attended to at that season.
As I have just observed, that it is impossible, without experience,
to point out the due time for topping the plant, so it is equally
as impossible to ascertain the time it will take to ripen in this
climate. That can only be known by future observations; for as it
is at present only cultivated in England as an ornament for the
garden, no attention has, I believe, been hitherto bestowed on the
preservation of its leaves. The apparent signs, however, of its
maturity are these: The leaves, as they approach a state of ripeness,
become more corrugated or rough; and when fully ripe, appear mottled
with yellowish spots on the raised parts, whilst the cavities retain
their usual green colour. They are, at this time, also thicker
than they have before been, and are covered with a kind of downy
velvet, in the same manner as the stalks are described to be, in the
preceding chapter.
If heavy rains happen at this critical period, they will wash this
excrescent substance off, and thereby damage the plants. In this
case, if the frosty nights are not begun, it is proper to let them
stand a few days longer; when, if the weather be more moderate,
they will recover this substance again. But if a frost unexpectedly
happens during the night, they must be carefully examined in the
morning before the sun has any influence on them; and those which are
found to be covered with frosty particles, whether thoroughly ripe or
not, must be cut up: for though they may not all appear to be arrived
at a state of maturity, yet they cannot be far from it, and will
differ but little in goodness from those that are perfectly so.
Having now given every instruction that occurs to my memory relative
to the culture of the plant, I shall proceed, as proposed, to
describe the worm that infests it. It is of the horned species,
and appears to be peculiar to this plant; so that in many parts of
America it is distinguished by the name of the Tobacco-Worm. In
what manner it is first produced, or how propagated, is uncertain;
but doubtless by the same inexplicable means that nature makes use
of to continue the existence of many other classes of this minute
part of the creation. The first time it is discernible, is when
the plants have gained about half their height: it then appears to
be nearly as large as a gnat; soon after which it lengthens into a
worm, and by degrees increases in magnitude to the size of a man's
finger. In shape it is regular from its head to its tail, without
any diminution at either extremity; indented or ribbed round at equal
distances, nearly a quarter of an inch from each other, and having at
every one of these divisions, a pair of feet or claws, by which it
fastens itself to the plant. Its mouth, like that of the caterpillar,
is placed under the fore-part of the head. On the top of the head,
between the eyes, grows a horn about half an inch in length, and
greatly resembling a thorn; the extreme part of which is in colour
brown, of a firm texture, and sharp pointed. By this horn, as before
observed, it is usually plucked from the leaf. It is easily crushed,
being only, to appearance, a composition of green juice inclosed by
a membranous covering, without the internal parts of an animated
being. The colour of its skin is in general green, interspersed with
spots of a yellowish white; and the whole covered with a short hair
scarcely to be discerned. To preserve the planter from the ravages
of an insect so destructive to his plantation, as he will thereby
be able to distinguish it with a greater degree of precision, I have
given in the frontispiece as exact a representation of it as can be
done from memory.