160 ELEMENTAEY AGEICULTUEE 



more than almost any other plant. In the northern 

 regions the seed is sown in a hotbed protected by 

 cheesecloth. The young plants are tender and need 

 watering with a weak manure water. They should 

 be transplanted when five or six weeks old. They 

 may be well cultivated until the plant begins to 

 bud; then, if no seed is desired, the plants are topped 

 so the strength may all go to the leaves. 



Fertilizer. Barnyard manure produces a rank 

 growth of tobacco, but it is poor in quality. Potash 

 is the most important plant food for tobacco. Nitro- 

 gen is supplied in cotton-seed meal. 



Curing. When the leaves begin to turn yellow, 

 the stalks are cut close to the ground. They should 

 be wilted by cutting them when the sun shines the 

 hottest. The plants are then hung up in the drying 

 house without being crowded together. (Fig. 87.) 

 After drying, the leaves are removed and tied up 

 in bundles called hands. The tobacco leaf loses more 

 than three-fourths of its weight in curing. Tobacco 

 is made into cigars, cigarettes, cheroots, and snuff. 



QUESTIONS 



(1) Before the discovery of sugar cane, how did people 

 get their sweets? (2) From how many plants do we 

 get sugar now? (3) What do you know about maple 

 sugar? (4) In what way is the raising of sugar beets 

 more trouble than corn? (5) Compare the raising of 

 wheat and rice from planting to harvest. (6) Why 

 should not tobacco plants touch each other in the dry house ? 



For exercises, problems, experiments, see Appendix. 



