160 CULTURE AND MANAGEMENT OF TOBACCO. 



seasonable weather, the plants will soon be large enough for trans- 

 planting. 



The land designed for the crop should be fertile ; if not naturally 

 so, should be made so by manuring. Any common manure will 

 answer a valuable purpose, tobacco being a plant that delights in 

 a rich soil. The land should be deeply and thoroughly plowed, 

 whenever practicable, in the fall or winter. In this there is a two- 

 fold advantage. 1st. It destroys many insects that injure or de- 

 stroy the young plant. 2d. It renders the land more friable and 

 more easily cultivated. As the season approaches for planting 

 out the weed (which is here from May to July), the laud should 

 be plowed again and kept clean. It is then to be laid dff with a 

 plow three and a half feet one way and three feet the other, and a 

 small hill made in or on the check, as may be preferred, for the 

 reception of the plant. The hill should be raised a little above the 

 common level of the surface — the size of the hill being a matter of 

 fancy with the planter, and not regarded as a matter of conse- 

 quence in general. So soon as the plants have attained a sufficient 

 size for transplanting, they may be drawn from the bed and placed 

 on the hills whenever there is moisture enough to prevent their 

 dying. This is generally done after a shower ; but should the land 

 be very wet, it is best to wait until it dries or settles some, as the 

 plant will do better set when the land is not too wet. The plant, 

 if it survives the transplanting, will soon commence growing, and 

 requires no attention until the weeds and grass begin to make 

 their appearance, and must be subdued by the plow and hoe. 

 Should the earth become hard about the plant, the hill should be 

 lightly scraped. This will greatly promote the growth of the 

 plant. When the plant becomes large enough, the bottom or plant 

 leaves may be broken off. This is called pruning, and the land 

 may then be deeply and thoroughly plowed, taking care not to 

 injure the roots of the plant, and the plant hilled up by following 

 with hoes, and throwing the loose soil around it. In land that has 

 been kept clean, this may be the last plowing ; the weeds and 

 bushes may be kept down with the hoe, should any appear. 



When the plant is large enough to top, the leaves nearest the 

 ground are to be broken off and the bud taken out, leaving on the 

 stalk the number designed for the plant. The number of leaves, 

 as was remarked about the size of the hill, is much a matter of 

 fancy ; yet it has more to do in forming the future character of the 



