THE CULTURE OF TOBACCO. 313 



may think to be his own to do as he pleases with it, but 

 which cannot be wasted and thrown away or destroyed 

 without a breach of divine or human laws; so the land can- 

 not be wasted or destroyed by its ow r ner without the inflic- 

 tion of an injury upon the public, and the breach of a strict 

 moral obligation to use it for the good of mankind. This 

 thought should never be lost sight of by a farmer, and 

 should be an impulse to his efforts to use his land so as to 

 make it most productive to his own comfort and happiness, 

 and to the welfare of his race. 



Although tobacco is exceedingly exhaustive it may be 

 grown in a rotation without loss or damage. It will not 

 take more from the soil than can be easily returned to it in 

 the form of a green crop plowed in; a liberal dressing of 

 manure; and artificial fertilizers, consisting of superphos- 

 phate of lime; potash salts; (the muriate however is not 

 fitted for this crop and the sulphate only is to be used) and 

 .sulphate of magnesia; wdth blood and flesh fertilizer which 

 is rich in nitrogen. A clover sod plowed under in the fall 

 .so that it is well decomposed by the spring, will furnish the 

 nitrogen needed for this crop, and "tlie land will be in an 

 excellent condition for it in ofher ways. Where this crop 

 is thus brought into a rotation and alternated with other 

 farm crops, there is no reason why i*ts culture, may not be 

 made as useful and profitable as that of wheat, clover, or 

 potatoes. The clean culture that is required is- certainly 

 very serviceable in preparing the land for other crops. 



Tobacco is grown with profit only under systematic and 

 skillful culture. The land is prepared as above described, 

 and the plants are grown in beds and transplanted to the 

 field when the weather is settled and warm. The plant 

 beds are made much in the same way as for cabbages; a 

 piece of rich soil being prepared, and freed from weeds by 

 having a brush pile burned over it. A tablespoonful of 

 seed is sown upon a square rod, and furnishes enough plants 

 for an acre of land. The seed is sown early so as to have 

 the plants ready as soon as the time arrives for transplant- 

 Ing, and these are moved from the beds when the leaves are 



