594 HORTICULTURE, FORESTRY, FLORICULTURE 



plants. The necessity of properly caring for the seed bed can not be 

 too strongly emphasized, since nothing is of more importance in ob- 

 taining a vigorous growth in the field than strong, healthy seedlings. 

 They should be made to grow steadily and vigorously without being 

 checked until ready for transplanting. In order to obtain this con- 

 dition, strict and constant attention must be given to watering the 

 bed, keeping down all weeds and grass, and preventing the ravages 

 of insect pests. In some cases it is necessary to use an additional ap- 

 plication of fertilizer in the way of a top-dressing. The necessity for 

 this is often indicated by the plants turning yellow. The fertilizer 

 should be essentially of the same composition as that previously used, 

 and often gives best results when applied in a liquid form. This 

 method of application makes it necessary to wash the fertilizer thor- 

 oughly into the soil by means of an abundant spray and thus avoid 

 injury to the tender plants. 



Whenever it is found that the plants are too thick in the bed it 

 it advisable to thin them out by drawing an ordinary rake across 

 the bed, allowing it to sink to a depth of from one-half to three- 

 fourths inch. This can be done without seriously injuring the re- 

 maining plants and is, in fact, of positive benefit to them. In all 

 cases some system should be provided for watering the plant beds 

 during spells of dry weather. Water should be applied in the form 

 of a light spray. During the first two weeks of plant growth it is 

 essential that the surface soil be kept comparatively moist at all 

 times, for at this stage a few hours of hot sun, after the soil has be- 

 come dry, will be sufficient to kill most of the plants. Where irriga- 

 tion is used in growing the general crop a system of overhead spray 

 nozzles has been found to give excellent results. 



As has been previously mentioned, great care must be taken to 

 remove all weeds and grass that may appear among the young 

 plants. In every case, before undertaking the process of weeding 

 the bed, it is most important to water thoroughly. This will pre- 

 vent any serious injury being done to the roots of the tobacco plants. 

 One of the most injurious insects to be guarded against in the culti- 

 vation of the seed bed is a flea-beetle. The injury to the plants by 

 this insect may be prevented by the use of a light spray of Paris 

 green. The mixture should be made at the rate of 1 pound of Paris 

 green and an equal quantity of quicklime to 100 gallons of w T ater, 

 which should be kept constantly stirred when in use. The same 

 remedy can be applied in the case of the hornworm, where the seed 

 bed is not inclosed or covered. 



A very satisfactory fertilizer consists of 1,000 pounds of cotton- 

 seed, 1,000 pounds of cotton-seed meal, 300 pounds of carbonate of 

 potash, 700 pounds of fine-ground bone, and 800 pounds of lime to 

 the acre. The cotton seed should be put on the field after it has been 

 plowed and three weeks or one month before it is finally prepared 

 for transplanting. Wherever it can be obtained cow-pen manure 

 should be used broadcast at the rate of 20 to 25 loads per acre. Cow- 

 pen manure promotes very rapid growth and often becomes the 

 means of securing a good crop of tobacco on land badly infested with 



