RAISING SEED. 159 



but in all the Atlantic States it is the general practice 

 to chop fine well-rotted stable manure in the soil when 

 the bed is being prepared for sowing. Many sow the 

 seed, and even the surface of the bed with well pulver- 

 ized manure free from grass seed. A light dressing of 

 the sulphate of lime (land plaster) has been found of 

 great service, also one of the superphosphate of lime. 

 Liquid manure applied after the plants are up will prob- 

 ably be found the best of all applications to promote a 

 rapid and healthy growth. A good liquid manure for 

 this purpose is made by taking a tight barrel half filled 

 with cow dung or well-rotted stable manure, and adding 

 water enough to fill it. The whole should be stirred 

 until it becomes a thick, soapy mass, which should be 

 applied to the bed by using a broom as a sprinkler. A 

 gallon of guano in a barrel of water will also be found 

 to stimulate the growth of the young plants. This 

 quality, without detriment, may be used on one hun- 

 dred square yards. 



As to the Best Time for Burning Plant Beds, there 

 is a variety of opinion. They may be burned at any 

 time from the first of November until the 25th of March, 

 when the ground is dry enough. A bed burned when 

 the land is wet or frozen rarely does well. When the 

 land is too wet to plow, it is too wet to burn plant beds. 

 Those burned in the fall usually require less fuel, are 

 more easily prepared, and the ashes have more time to 

 rot, thus making better plant food. The ashes should 

 not be removed, but incorporated with the earth. When 

 beds are burned in the fall, they should be dug up and 

 prepared for sowing. In this condition they should be 

 left to the ameliorating effects of the freezes until the 

 latter part of January or the early part of February, or 

 even as late as April, when canvas coverings are intended 

 to be used. One of the best tobacco ^growers in the 

 South gives it as the result of his experience for thirty- 



