HEAVY SHIPPING TOBACCO. 299 



Laying off the Land. After the second plowing, 

 the land may be left until the plants are nearly ready to 

 set. When the plants in the seed beds have leaves on 

 them two inches long, the planter should proceed to give 

 the final preparation to his land previous to setting the 

 crop. It should, first of all, be well harrowed until the 

 surface is thoroughly pulverized to the depth of two or 

 three inches. It must then be laid off in rows three and 

 one-half feet each way, and at the points of intersection, 

 a heaping teaspoonful or more of some good guano or 

 superphosphate of lime, or a little well-rotted manure or 

 old ashes, may be dropped at each crossing, and the hill 

 made over the fertilizer with a hand hoe, care being 

 taken to incorporate the fertilizer well with the soil. 

 The hills need not be large or high. The tops should 

 be cut off with the general level of the land, and patted, 

 so as to give the hills compactness enough to retain 

 moisture. 



Many farmers lay off their tobacco land three feet 

 by four, which has the merit of giving a few more plants 

 to the acre, and at the same time permits the cultivation 

 of the crop to continue for a longer period with less 

 injury to the plants from the bruising and breaking of 

 the leaves. If the wide rows are run north and south, 

 more of the sunlight reaches the leaves, and matures 

 them more evenly. With wide rows in one direction, 

 the work of worming and suckering is more easily per- 

 formed, and fewer leaves are torn or broken in working 

 between the rows. 



A few years ago, when the "black fat" German 

 styles were in the greatest demand, and at the highest 

 prices, several intelligent farmers tried the experiment 

 of increasing the distance between the plants to four 

 feet each way, believing that increased space would give 

 greater room for development and expansion. While a 

 few were pleased with the results, the practice has been 



