8 



FARMERS BULLETIN. 



to the desired standard. It is very important that in the preparation of 

 the seed bed an abundant supply of seed should be sown, and provisions 

 made for a succession of plants; so that, when the planting season 

 conies, the supply of plants suitable for transplanting will be ample for 

 the purpose, and the supply will be maintained throughout the period in 

 which the planting is to be done. 



FIG. 1. Transplanting tobacco plants by machine. 



The best soil for the seed bed is a rich, friable, dark, virgin loam or 

 sandy loam. A deep, well-drained soil is greatly to be preferred. The 

 necessary operations of tilling and stirring the soil should precede sowing 

 the seed by several weeks. It is usually customary to thoroughly plow 

 or spade the land and mark the land off into a number of beds surrounded 

 by boards. In the famous Deli district in Sumatra the beds are built up 



