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Seeds
The tobacco-growing season started as early as January. Tiny tobacco seeds were planted in seedbeds in a protected area. They were covered with pine branches to protect them from the cold. The seedlings were watered and weeded. -
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Growing Tobbaco
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New Tobacco Fields
During the winter,forests were cleared to make new tobacco fields.Tobacco ruined the soil after four or five years and new fields had to constantly had to be prepared. -
Tobacco Mounds
After two months in the seedbeds tobacco plants were large enough to transplant. In preparation for planting,thesoil in the field was hoed into small mounds or hills. Each tobacco plant was set in a mound to give it plenty of growing space. -
Tobacco Care
April-September, As the tobacco grew in the fieldsit had to be checked often for tobacco worms. -
Tobacco drying for storage
Late in summer or early fall the tobacco was harvested. The entire stalk of each tobacco plant was cut at the bottom and left to wilt. Next,a hole was cut in the stalk so it could be put a long stick, called a tobacco stake. As many as eight stalks were placed on a stake. -
Tobbaco stakes
Stakes were hung in tobaco barns to dry for six to ten weeks.