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gions can be used for all the purposes for which the plant 

 is needed. 



Formerly but little attention was paid to the color and 

 texture of the leaf, the prilicipal object being the production 

 of a leaf of large size, rather than one of good color and of 

 silky texture. Now, these are most important conditions, 

 and give value to the tobacco in proportion to the perfection 

 of these qualities. 



III. 



FIELD CULTURE. 



Land on which it is intended to grow tobacco should 

 be well ploughed ; on compact soils the ploughing should 

 be deep. An intelligent rotation of crops carried out with 

 an intelligent knowledge of the needs of the tobacco crop 

 will be the aim of the practical farmer. Before transplant- 

 ing the young plants from the seed-bed the land should be 

 ridged, the distance between the ridges depending on the 

 kind of tobacco to be planted — the larger kinds requiring 

 more room than the smaller-leaved and tall sorts. Generally 

 from three to three and a half feet apart between the rows, 

 and the same between the plants will be sufficient. Where 

 the surface is level the plough may be run lightly over the 

 field at right angles, thus forming small hills on which the 

 plants are planted. 



Choice of Soil. — The growers of the plant are very partic- 

 ular in the selection of suitable soil for tobacco growing. 

 The selection of soil will depend upon the color of leaf in 

 demand, as the soil as well as the fertilizers determine to 

 some extent the color and texture of the leaf. 



The effect produced by planting tobacco too near the sea 

 is injury to the leaf, which is apt to be thick and unfit for a 

 cigar wrapper. In some countries, however, notably Cuba, 

 the leaf grown near salt water is equal in color and texture 

 to any grown in the interior. 



