120 TOBACCO LEAP. 



the spring, it is apt to promote a coarse-fibered leaf, 

 deficient in elasticity and texture. 



The Amount of Plant Food to Apply depends upon 

 soil fertility, variety to be grown and quality and quan- 

 tity of leaf desired. The amounts specified in this chapter 

 are those used by the best growers in the Connecticut 

 valley, on land of fairly good fertility. These men want 

 at least a ton of cured leaf per acre, of the finest quality, 

 and then have the soil left rich enough to yield two to 

 four tons of hay per acre when seeded to grass. Such 

 high cultivation is not yet practiced on old soils in other 

 tobacco-growing districts of America, while on newer 

 lands it is not necessary. As a rule, however, the average 



FIG. 16. MOVABLE FRAME FOR PLANT BED, WITH CLOSE FITTING 

 CLOTH COVER PARTLY REMOVED. 



planter stands more in danger of applying too little 

 plant food than too much. On the other hand, the 

 Poquonock experiments confirm much experience to the 

 effect that, under the intense cultivation referred to, 

 more plant food is put into the soil than is really 

 profitable. 



NITROGEN FERTILIZERS. 



Their Necessity. It has been shown by analyses of 

 the plant, and by experience in the field, that tobacco 

 requires a large quantity of nitrogen. It does not seem 

 to possess the ability to get its nitrogen from the air, as 



