lo Feb., 1911-] Tobacco Culture. 



States, where, however, such manures as cottonseed meal, castor pomace, 

 •and cotton hull ash, not procurable at present in Victoria, are used in 

 large quantities. 



Formula for Poor Soil. Per Acre. 



.300 lbs. of Lime. I 100 lbs. Bonedust. 



200 lbs. of Sulphate of Potash. | h cvvt. Re.l lilood. 



The lime should be applied in the autumn by dumping it down in 50-lb. 

 or loodb. lots on the surface of the land which should be ploughed and 

 then covered with a layer of soil a couple of inches thick. In eight or 

 nine days it should have thoroughly slaked down and can then be spread 

 over the land, either by hand or machine, and harrowed in. No other 

 manure should be put on for at least six weeks after, and at the end of 

 that time, or say eight weeks, farm manure can be worked in at the rate 

 of from twenty to thirty loads per acre. Then, just previous to planting 

 out, the potash, bone, and blood manure should be applied broadcast and 

 harrowed in. 



For old land and land that requires building up, the farm manure will 

 be of great value; but where rich flats are used or the soil is naturally 

 rich in humus, it is better not used. In dry districts, it should only be 

 used in a well decomposed moist condition; if not well rotted, the effect 

 will be to make the land too dry. The fact that tobacco takes only 12 

 to 20 weeks to mature necessitates a larger amount of plant food to 

 draw upon than is actually required to develop the crop. The different 

 •elements of food are in some cases too slowly released for the plants to get 

 their full benefit in the period of growth. Nothing, however, is wasted as 

 the residual foods are still in the ground and available, either for the next 

 crop or a catch crop grown through the winter. 



Rotations. 



In order to keep up the supply of humus in the soil and restore the 

 loss of nitrogen taken by the tobacco crop a rotation is necessary. As soon 

 as the crop is harvested in the autumn a sowing of rye, peas, and vetches 

 can be made, and, if early April rains fall, fine winter feed for fattening 

 sheep, or for dairy cows, can be grown. A spring fallow can be given in 

 .August and the stubble ploughed in; the root matter and stubble will 

 supply the humus. The nitrates will be held in the soil by the roots of 

 the rye, and the peas will have supplied a quantity of nitrogen through the 

 agency of the nitrifying bacteria on their roots, as also w-ill the \t'tches. 

 Being a deep rooting crop, rye too, has the power of releasing phos- 

 phoric acid which otherwise would not be available. 



In some districts, the growth of Red Clover, or some of the Trefoils, 

 will have equally good results. ^Vhere the land can be laid out for a year 

 or two and Reil CMover will thrive, a crop of this kind will do more to 

 •enrich the .soil, than any other. It is known as the king of rotation crops, 

 for the reason that it releases more plant f(X)d than any other, leaves a 

 larger amount of decaying root matter in the soil, and is in itself a fine 

 fodder crop. It is, however, a summer grower and for that reason will 

 re<juire a sea.son for itself, if grown in rotation with tobacco. It is also 

 wise to follow the clover with either maize, oats or wheat, before again 

 planting tobacco, as the clover is liable to leave too much nitrogen for the 

 growth of high class tobacco. The maize, wheat, or oats will reduce this, 

 while not drawing too heavily on the potash supply. It is not wise lo 

 follow potatoes or any root crop with tobacco as all root crops are heavy 

 potash feetlers. 



