CULTIVATION. 39 



The area required for a nursery depends on the area of 

 ground to be planted, and on the distance separating the 

 plants in the field. About 1 sq. in. space should be 

 allotted to each of the young plants in the nursery. 

 Taking the number to be 7260 plants required for an 

 acre (at 3 ft. x 2 ft.), and giving each plant 1 sq. in. of 

 room, an area of 7000 sq. in. or 50 sq. ft. would raise 

 plants sufficient for an acre. But as some are injured 

 during growth, many rendered useless in lifting them for 

 transplanting, and more needed to replace those that die 

 after transplanting, double the number should be raised, 

 or 100 sq. ft. of nursery bed for an acre. 



The amount of seed required for an acre depends chiefly 

 on its vitality. An ounce contains about 100,000 seeds, 

 or sufficient for nearly 7 acres if all grew ; but as even the 

 best has not a very high percentage of vitality, J-l oz. is 

 generally sown to produce the plants required for one acre. 



Sowing-time having arrived, the nursery is divided into 

 beds, most conveniently, 10 ft. long and 5 ft. wide, making 

 50 sq. ft. each, on which plants for J acre can easily 

 be raised. As, even with a small tobacco plantation, 

 several days are required for transplanting, all the beds 

 should not be sown at one time, but at intervals of a few 

 days. This will also lessen the risk of the young plants 

 being all destroyed by a storm, insects, &c. Before sowing 

 the seed, the soil is dug over to the depth of 6 inches, and 

 levelled with a rake. The seed must then be sown evenly 

 on the surface, and beaten down slightly with the hand 

 or otherwise. The seed being very small, many cultiva- 

 tors mix it with ashes, or pulverized gypsum, in order to 

 distribute it regularly over the bed. The seed must be 



