46 TOBACCO. 



on the mantle-shelf in the kitchen, not too near the stove 

 or fire, "but where it will keep warm. In the course of a 

 week or ten days, the seed will have cracked the shell, 

 and will show the small white germ or sprout. It should 

 now be sowed broadcast very evenly, and treat as before 

 described. If properly wet at first, it will need no more 

 water to sprout the seed. Before sowing, pulverize the 

 mass containing the seed, to facilitate the sowing. Having 

 thus sown and rolled down your bed very nicely, it is 

 well to have something to protect it from the encroach- 

 ment of the fowls. For this purpose, spread a net of 

 twine or a few brush over the surface, covering it so that 

 they may not disturb the surface by scratching and 

 wallowing. It may now be left till the weeds begin to 

 make their appearance ; these you will need to extract by 

 the roots as soon as the plants can be distinguished ; these 

 last may be known by two very small nearly round leaves 

 opening over flat on the ground. Now procure a plank 

 or some substitute a little longer than your bed is wide, 

 also two blocks 6 or 6 inches square, as long or longer 

 than your plank is wide ; place one on one side of the 

 bed, the other on the opposite side ; on these two blocks 

 place your plank, and you will have a fine platform on 

 which you can sit and weed any part, or all, of your bed, 

 by moving it as occasion may require. To assist in 

 pulling out the weeds, procure a moderately sharp-pointed 

 knife, and with the same grasped in the hand with the 

 thumb near the point, pinch out the weeds, being careful 

 not to disturb the dirt any more than absolutely necessary. 

 The process of weeding must be repeated as often as 

 necessary, to keep the bed clean from weeds." 



