50 TOBACCO. 



of the soil and the sort of plant to be raised. With good 

 soil, the ridges must be farther apart than in a poor one, 

 because of producing larger leaves. The ridges should 

 allow a passage between the rows, for the purpose of 

 weeding, hoeing, suckering, &c., without breaking the 

 leaves. In the lines, the plants may be 6 in.-l ft. 

 closer than the ridges. In some places, a plough is run 

 at right angles across the ridges before planting, at the 

 distance at which the plants have to stand in the lines, 

 thus forming small hills on which the seedlings are 

 planted. 



Planting. Planting should take place only in the even- 

 ing (or even at night in India), unless the weather be 

 cloudy, when it may be performed during the whole 

 day. Some hours before commencing to transplant, the 

 nursery should be thoroughly watered, to facilitate the 

 removal of the plants, without tearing their roots. If 

 the plants are of even size, so that all can be removed, 

 the best plan is to take them out with a spade, or trowel, 

 leaving a lump of soil on each. But in most cases, it 

 will be necessary to take up each plant separately ; this 

 should be done very carefully, holding with the thumb 

 and forefinger as near as possible to the roots, and draw- 

 ing out the plants, if possible, with a little soil adhering 

 to their roots. The plants are taken at once in a basket 

 to the field for planting. An attendant going between 

 two ridges places a plant on each hill, right and left. 

 One attendant is sufficient for two planters, who follow 

 immediately. The planting is nearly the same as with 

 cabbages, but requires more care, the plants being more 

 tender, and their roots and leaves springing nearly from 



