422 TENNESSEE PLANT BED. 



especially white mustard, to any other young plant ; and will 

 continue to feed upon that until the tobacco plant waxes 

 strong, and becomes mature enough for transplantation." 



A Tennessee planter gives the following description of mak- 

 ing the plant bed as practised in his State. In some respects, 

 especially in preventing the growth of weeds, it is the best 

 process of making the " plant patch " that we have ever seen 

 described. He says : 



" To make a good plant bed it requires good management 

 and pretty hard work. It will hardly be done well without 

 the presence of the farmer to attend to it. The time to make 

 a bed is from the 15th of October to the first of April. The 

 best beds are made in the Fall, for the reason that the ground 

 is then very dry and therefore more easily burned, and besides 

 there is more time for the ashes to rot before the hot weather. 

 A bed turned in the Fall will hold moisture better than 

 burned later. It takes less Wood to burn well. The plants 

 are more vigorous and tougher. The soil should be rich and 

 light and never tilled before. The location should be as 

 much exposed to the sun as possible. It is best for a bed to 

 be surrounded by timber. The bugs are not so apt to find it. 

 Low rich valleys will generally do better than ridges, though 

 any good rich new ground will make good plants if well 

 burned and prepared. The ground should be raked very 

 clean of leaves before packing on the brush and wood. The 

 fire must have a fair chance at the ground. The brush should 

 be packed on straight and close, at least enough wood mixed 

 with it to make it lie close. If the brush is green, endeavor 

 to mix what dry stuff there is thorough, so the fire will burn 

 through without trouble. It is very important that the fire 

 should be as hot as possible while it is burning. The bed 

 should not be rained upon after it is set before it is burned, 

 as it will be doubtful whether the ground beneath the brush 

 will get dry well. 



" The ground should always be as dry as possible when it 

 is burned. The bed should be set on fire in several places at 

 once so as to have a very great heat on it at once. If the 

 ground is well burned it will be a little crusty and whitish, 

 and will pulverize beautifully. As soon as the ground is cool 

 enough it may be loosened up and pulverized. This should 

 be done well, and may be done with a good sharp harrow and 

 then followed with hoes and grubbing hoes. Aim to keep 

 the ashes and rich soil on the surface, and for this reason a 



