No. 4.] TOBACCO CULTURE. 359 



to orrow tobacco because his neiirbbors did, not takin2: into 

 consideration, perhaps, the fact that the soil upon his farm 

 was very different from his neighbors'. As a rule, dark and 

 heavy soils produce naturally a darker and heavier leaf 

 than a lighter soil, and not only does soil, l)ut fertilizers and 

 the form in -which they are applied, affect both color and 

 quality, and the man who attempts to grow tobacco will 

 soon learn that he is dealing with the most sensitive ulant 

 grown. 



Seed Bed. 



The first requisite for growing good tobacco is a good seed 

 bed, with a sunny exposure. The best land for such a bed 

 is a moist, sandy loam, Avhicli should be })loughed and made 

 very rich the summer previous to using, by either manure, 

 at the rate of fifty cords per acre, or good commercial fer- 

 tilizer. No weeds should be allowed to mature upon the 

 bed. In November the bed should be ploughed and har- 

 rowed thoroughly. In the spring the land should be worked 

 lightly (but not when wet), and some quick-acting fertilizer 

 applied, at least 500 pounds per acre. Sulphate of ammo- 

 nia has proved a good substitute for Peruvian guano. This 

 should be thoroughly raked in. Do not let your land dry 

 out before sowing your seed, but roll your ground lightly, 

 then sow your seed and roll again, and if dry, water imme- 

 diately if you sow sprouted seed. I sprout my seed in 

 apple-tree dirt, obtained from hollow apple trees, or by plac- 

 ing in cloth between two turfs and keeping moist in a warm 

 place. One tablespoonful of seed to a square rod of land 

 is about right. 



The beds should be sown as early as the ground is in con- 

 dition, from the 1st to the 10th of April. To get early 

 plants the bed should be covered with glass or cloth, resting 

 upon boards about a foot high ; a good size for sash is 3 by 

 8 feet. If glass is used, care must be exercised to raise the 

 sash on sunny days. 



Many simply cover their beds with white-l)irch brush, 

 erecting a tight fence as a wind-l)reak. Plants raised in this 

 manner are usually more hardy and stocky than when grown 

 under cloth or glass, and Avill be from on6 to two weeks 

 later. 



