lo Dec, 1910.] 



Tobacco Culture. 



751 



to transplant, the roots break in the pulling process and the hearts of the 

 young plant are liable to bruising in the effort to release them. 



It is a good plan to burn the site of the beds with the object of destroy- 

 ing insects or their larvae in the soil. The dormant seeds of weeds are 

 also destroyed by the burn, and this will save labour later on in weeding. 

 The potash left in the ashes is an important factor in raising healthy and 

 ■quickly grown plants. 



First scrape all the grass off the plot chosen for plant beds and lay 

 poles 3 to 4 inches in diameter across the land to keep the actual fire just 

 off the ground. This will prevent the danger of too great a fire destroy- 

 ing the organic matter in the soil unduly. Pile rubbish in the shape of 

 bushes, straw, wood, &c., to a height of 4 or 5 feet across the poles, 

 and start the fire on the leeward side in order to get a slow burn. Burned 

 in this way the soil will get a thorough steaming which will practically 

 cook all seeds and insects, to a depth of 3 or 4 inches. The rough ashes 

 should be raked off and the soil worked finely to a depth of 3 inches. 



IIIER SATISFACTORY SEED BED. 



Deeper working is not advisable, unless the land has been fallowed pre- 

 viously and commercial fertilizers (bonedust, superphosphate, and blood 

 manure) well worked into the soil. Ordinary farmyard manure is not 

 generally used, owing to the number of weeds liable to follow. Two 

 pounds of bonedust and blood manure to a bed, 10 yards long by i yard 

 wide, is a fair allowance on burned ground. If not burned, i lb. of 

 sulphate of potash m.ay be added. 



The most convenient shape for beds is i yard wide to any desirable 

 length. Wider beds are difficult to weed and water when necessary. The 

 pathway between the beds need not be wider than i foot so that little 

 space is lost. The shape of the bed will depend greatly on the soil and 

 rainfall. Where the rainfall is heavy and drainage important, raised 

 beds about 6 inches to 9 inches above the surrounding land should be 

 made. Where the natural drainage is good and the rainfall light, level 

 beds give best results, and it is often wise to have both so as to provide 

 for a wet or dry season. 



The most satisfactory system now in vogue is the frame bed (see illus- 

 tration No. i). It is made of hardwood boards 12 inches deep all round 



