MISCELLANEOUS (.'ROJ'S. 221 



likely to become spindling, they must be thinned so as to stand 

 about an inch apart. This can be best done \vith an iron tooth 

 rake, as the plants left will be benefited by the cultivation 

 which the raking will give. 



SOIL AND PLANTING. The best soil for tobacco is a rich, 

 sandy, second bottom, or chocolate colored upland. Black land 

 makes the heaviest growth, but the quality is not so good. The 

 soil should be dry and warm, and contain lime, as this is an im- 

 portant property of the crop. New land is preferable, but any 

 land that grows good corn, wheat, potatoes, and clover will 

 grow good tobacco. If old land is planted, it should have 

 twenty-five loads of manure to the acre. A good rotation is to 

 follow tobacco with wheat and seed with clover, and as the land 

 will be very rich, if the clover is allowed to blossom in the fall 

 before any stock is turned on it, it will make a heavy growth, 

 so that it will furnish a large amount of plant food, and may be 

 turned under in May following, and the field again planted in 

 tobacco. It is best to plow early and give the land several 

 workings before setting out the tobacco, as this will kill the 

 weeds and give a better condition of soil than late breaking. 



When the plants have reached the fourth or fifth leaf, and 

 are three or four inches high they are ready to transplant. The 

 planting season varies in different years and localities, and ex- 

 tends from about the middle of May to July. The field is 

 marked off sometimes one, and sometimes both ways, the aver- 

 age distance being about three feet. Small, flat hills, elevated 

 a few inches above the level of the land, are made with hoes, 

 and the field is ready for the plants. If a large amount is to 

 be set, help should be engaged to take advantage of the first 

 good weather, and the work pushed. Before lifting the plants 

 from the seed bed, it should be copiously watered so as to soften 

 it in order that they may be taken up without breaking the roots. 



The same general directions given in the chapter on root 

 crops for setting out sweet potato plants will apply to tobacco. 

 If there are several hands at work, it is best to appoint a fore- 

 man who will oversee the job. The plants should be set well 

 down in the soil, and the earth pressed so firmly that if you 



