TOBACCO. 443 



the crop will not have sufficient time to mature. The medium time is best, which is that 

 already given. If transplanted at the proper time, rapid growth and quick maturity other 

 conditions being favorable will be the natural result, which saves labor and expense in 

 cultivation, while such crops will be larger and of better quality than those of slower growth. 



The usual time for transplanting is just after a rain, when the soil is moist; otherwise 

 the plants require watering, which involves considerable extra labor. If at such a time, 

 however, the sun comes out hot immediately after, a large percentage of the plants will be 

 liable to wither beyond recovery. A cloudy day and damp soil are to be preferred, but it is 

 better to set the plants at the proper time rather than delay too late for desired conditions. 

 If plants are set when the soil is saturated with water, followed by a hot sun, the earth will 

 harden and bake around the roots and prevent their growth; hence a damp soil is to be pre 

 ferred to one containing a surplus of water. Never set plants when the soil is of the 

 consistency of mud. Great care should be observed in removing the plants from the seed 

 bed, that the roots may not be broken. To avoid this, the bed should be saturated with 

 water. It is well to loosen the earth with a trowel and pick up the plants separately. 



No careless person should be allowed to perform this work, for much injury to the crop 

 might result from mutilating the plants in any way. The practice of crowding a large number 

 of plants into a basket to be taken to the field is a very poor one, resulting in the bruising and 

 breaking of the roots and leaves. The young plants should be kept straight after being taken 

 from the seed-bed, with their roots together, and placed in shallow boxes or pans to be taken 

 to the field, and not a sufficient number placed together to admit of crushing, keeping what 

 little soil adheres to their roots from being loosened. They should also be protected from 

 the hot sun on the way to the field. Many plants will sometimes become wilted before 

 setting, through carelessness in this respect. One person should drop the plants ahead in the 

 row, one plant to each hill, and the setter follow. In setting, the plant should be taken in 

 the right hand, and a hole made in the center of the hill with the left forefinger for the roots, 

 which should be deep enough to take them in without bending to the same level they occupied 

 in the seed-bed. The earth should then be pressed firmly around the roots with both hands. 

 The pressure should be sufficient to close the hole in the soil at the bottom, as well as at the 

 top. Care should be used not to set the plant too deep, or press the bud of unopened leaves 

 in making the soil compact. The roots should, however, be well covered, and have a suf 

 ficient depth of soil. It is also a good plan to set an extra plant every rod or two, which 

 may be used to fill vacancies that will be found in the after cultivation. Such plants may be 

 taken up with a small quantity of soil attached to the roots, and reset without injury. 



As the cut-worm will destroy some of the young plants, and others will wither, the 

 ground should be carefully examined and reset every few days, until a good stand is secured. 

 It is important that the setting of the plants be well done. When a hot sun succeeds the 

 transplanting, shading the plants with a handful of grass, a large leaf, or a piece of paper, for 

 a day or two, will generally prevent them wilting as badly as they otherwise might. 



If the ground is quite dry at the time of setting, water must be turned upon the hills 

 before putting in the plants. In such cases, it is well to press the soil around the plant in a 

 slightly concave or basin-shaped form, in order to hold the water that it may be necessary to 

 afterwards apply. Such plants should be watered rather liberally just at night, and may 

 require this repeated for three or four days. Such extra care requires considerable labor, 

 but it pays well in the end. Negligence at this period can never be wholly made up in the 

 after culture. The best time for transplanting, when the weather is warm, is on a cloudy 

 day, or just at night, accompanied with watering. 



Cultivation. A few days after setting, or when the plants have secured a good 

 stand, the first cultivation should be given. This generally consists of a very light stirring 

 of the soil with a hand-hoe, simply breaking the crust that has formed, and killing the weeds. 



