AGRICULTURAL TEXT-BOOK. 261 



The rows are marked out, 3 feet&amp;gt; or 3 feet 4 inches, according 

 to the variety grown ; arid on these rows small hills are formed 

 fjr the reception of the plant, at 2 feet, or 2^- feet apart. To 

 make fine tobacco it is important to plant early, so that the leaves 

 may be cured when the weather is warm and dry. If it rains 

 at the time of setting out, advantage is taken to plant as many 

 a-s possible. If not, about half a pint of water is poured into each 

 hill, and the plants immediately set.* After this, the field is 

 examined several times, and where plants are dead, or injured by 

 the worm, others are set in. (c,) As soon as they stand well, 

 they are either carefully hoed and the vacant places filled with 

 new plants, or the cultivator is merely passed between the rows. 

 After this the plants are kept clean with cultivator and hoe, be 

 ing hoed three or four times without hilling. The plants are 

 frequently and thoroughly examined for the tobacco worms ; and 

 they must be destroyed, or the crop will be greatly injured. 

 (dj) When in blossom, and before the formation of the seed, the 

 plants are topped about 32 inches from the ground, leaving from 

 16 to 20 leaves on each stalk. If there are late plants, in con 

 sequence of re-setting, break them low, and they will grow faster 

 and ripen sooner. All suckers must be broken off. (e,) When 

 ripe, the time of cutting the leaf is spotted, thick, and will 

 crack when pressed between thumb and finger. It may be cut 

 any time in the day after the dew is off; left in the row till wil 

 ted ; then turned ; and if there is a hot sun, it is turned often 

 to prevent burning. After being wilted, it is put into small 

 heaps of 6 or 8 plants, and carted to the sheds for hanging. 

 Here it is hung with cotton twine on poles 12 feet long, and 

 about 20 plants on each side. It must hang until the stem of 



*It may be useful to mention that all young plants, either in garden or field, may 

 be transplanted with great certainty of success by forming a deep hole with a round 

 stick an inch in diameter; insert the root in the centre of this hole, holding the plant 

 with the left hand ; pour in water till it overflows ; and immediately fill it up with 

 fine earth dribbled in with the right hand. Even cucumbers and melons may be safe 

 ly transplanted by this method. 



