TOBACCO 191 



tobaccoes, being intermediate in quality, require in- 

 termediate grades of soil ; but in every case the soil 

 must be in the best possible state of tilth, and if not 

 abundantly supplied with all the elements of fertility, 

 these must be freely added in the form of fertilizers 

 and manures. Tobacco soils should contain much 

 humus. The crop is a very exhausting one, and 

 even the richest soils soon become depleted of this 

 important substance, unless active measures are taken 

 to maintain fertility. This can be done by the free 

 use of stable manure supplemented by the addition 

 of some form of phosphoric acid and of potash. 

 This latter substance is especially necessary in the 

 cultivation of cigar and smoking tobaccoes, since the 

 burning quality as well as the flavor, or aroma, is 

 largely dependent upon its presence. Tobacco draws 

 very heavily upon the supply of potash in the soil, and 

 it is of great importance to guard carefully against its 

 exhaustion. 



In the application of potash to tobacco land 

 special care must be taken to exclude all forms of 

 this material that contain chlorine, as this substance, 

 when present, even in small quantities, spoils the 

 burning quality. The muriate of potash and crude 

 salts, like kainit, should, therefore, never be used. 

 The high-grade sulphate is the form in which potash 

 is most often applied to tobacco, but the carbonate, 

 though slightly more expensive, is preferred by some 

 when the highest type of cigar tobacco is desired. 

 Stable manure, although so useful, is usually unduly 

 expensive in Southern countries, even when it can 

 be obtained at all. The long growing season at the 



