THE WISCONSIN FARMER.



  PREPARATION OF FIELD SOIL FOR PLANTING.
  If the ground you intend to devote to thit
crop was plowed last autumn, all the better.
You will have a stronger growth, and be less
likely to suffer from the depredaticns of the
cut worm and other enemies of the crop. But
if not, then it should be manured well, and
plowed as early in tLe spring as the soil will
admit of. Then, in May. plow again, a*d bar-
row, so as to mix the manure thoroughly with
the soil; mark off both wavs, as for corn, and
with the hoe draw up a little hill in the centre
of each square. spattingit down with the blade
of the hoe.
             TIE IPLANTING (,UT
   Should be performed, if possible, in
moist weather, and the plants should be drawn
with caution so as not to break the tenjder root-
lets. If the weather should be dry when it is
required to plant out, it will be important to
wet the hill with a pint or so of water a half
hour previous to setting. Farther directions
for cultivating, antI for gathering and curing
the crop will be published with illustrations, in
subsequent numbers.

Seeds of the "Ambalema" Tobasco Plant, from
Ron. A. A. Burton, Kinister to New Grotsds.
  The following communication from Judge
Bdrton, late of Kentucky, and present Minis-
ter to the Government of New Grenada, was
accompanied by the seeds to which it refers.
The Judge will please receive our grateful ac-
knowledgements for them, and our assurances
that they shall be promptly placed in the hands
of careful cultivators of Tobacco, for the trial
of the adaptability of the plant which they
represent to the climate of Wisconsin.-EDIToR
FARMZEL]
       LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES,
            BOGOTA, Dec. 5, 1862.
  SiR:-The enclosed seeds are of the variety
known here as the "' Ambalema " tobacco plant.
The leaf produces a cigar inferior in some re-
spects and superior in others, to the Havana.
I send it for experiment in Wisconsin.
  The plant flourishes, in this vicinity, under
a temperature of 700 to 800 Fahr., with fre-



quent showers. Soil, a well drained gravelly
or sandy loam, with clayey and gravelly sub-
soil. It is not lopped here, as in the United
States: but the leaves are taken from the stalk
as they ripen.
    I am, Sir, very respectfully,
               Your obedient Servant,
                        ALLAN A. BURTON.
  To DR. J. W. HOYT, Madison, Wisconsin.
                   0
Comments auUSuggestions toachiqg the inter-
             ests of the Frnmer.
  [The following letter, though 'not Intended
for publication, contains a number of sugges-
tions worthy of a place in the FARMER, and
the author will therefore pardon the liberty we
have taken in laying it before our readers.-
ED.]
  FRIEND HOYT:-I should have sent you the
money for the FARMER before this, had not I
wanted to write you for information, and sug-
gest something to you for my old friend the
FARMER.
  I have lived in Wisconsin over ten years,
have taken the FARMER over nine. The times
are hard with me, the chinch bugs having de-
stroyed my corn, and most of my wheat; but
the FARMER is indispensible. My wife, child-
ren and friends read it with interest. We are
very glad that we are to hear from Mrs. Hoyt
again. We have all missed her in the Youth's
Corner. My little boy wanted to know if she
meant him in "Suppose so."  * * * *
  I wish for information with regard to the
gray willow; have you any knowledge of it
for a hedge ? whether the scions are to be set
horizontal or perpendicular? It is highly re-
commended in the tribune and Praine Farmer.
I intend to try it; it will be beautiful if not
useful. I do not confine myself to corn and
potatoes alone; I take real pleasure in planting
trees of various kinds, shrubbery, &c.
When I commenced farming, I bought differ-
ent kinds of plum trees, cultivated them with
care for years, had fine trees but no plums. I
went to the woods in the season of plums and
marked the best I could find, and transplanted
them in the spring, and now have as good a



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