e hills are in this
manner guessed by the eye; and in most instances they
approach near to lines of four feet one way, and three feet
the other. The planter always endeavors to time this
operation so as to tally with the growth of his plants, so
that he may be certain by this means to pitch his crop
within season.

"The third kind of hoe is the broad or weeding hoe. This is
made use of during the cultivation of the crop, to keep it
clean from the weeds. It is wide upon the edge, say from ten
inches to a foot, or more; of thinner substance than the
hilling hoe, not near so deep in the blade, and the eye is
formed more bent and shelving than the latter, so that it
can be set upon a more acute angle upon the helve at
pleasure, by removing the wedge."

The manner of preparing the soil in Virginia at the present time is
thus described by a Virginia planter:--

"The crop usually, grown in Virginia is divided into three
classes, viz.:--Shipping, Sun-cured Fillers, and Bright
Coal-cured Wrappers and Smokers. The first may be grown on
any good soil, upland or alluvial: the latter two on dry,
well-drained upland only. All require thorough preparation
of the soil to insure good crops. The work first necessary
for this crop is to burn a sufficiency of plant land. To
prepare the land for transplanting, put the land in full
tilth, then mark off with a shovel, plow furrows three feet
to three feet four inches apart, and into these furrows sow
the fertilizers; then with turning plows, bed the land on
these furrows, and to facilitate the hilling, cross these
beds three feet apart with furrows by a shovel plow, and the
hills are made, except to pat them with hoes. Hilly lands
will seldom admit of this cross-plowing, and the beds must
be chopped into hills. On new ground apply the fertilizers
broadcast. It acts well, and for fine yellow pays better on
new grounds than any other lands. The culture is essentially
the same for all classes of tobacco. Stir the land up as
often as necessary to promote a rapid growth of the plants,
and to keep down grass and weeds. 'Shipping' tobacco may be
plowed later and worked longer than 'fine yellow.' For
'coal-curing' sacrifice pounds for color."

The next operation to be performed on the tobacco farm or plantation