No. 4.] TOBACCO CULTURE. 361 



having the plants of the same size for machine setting. With 

 a good team three men can set one-half acre or more per 

 hour and water it. In dry weather plants live much better 

 set by a machine than by hand, as the water is placed at the 

 roots of the plants ; but it requires practice on the part of the 

 droppers to set evenly and well. 



Cultivation and Care. 

 As soon as the plants have commenced to grow, the ground 

 should ])e stirred up by horse and hand hoe, loosening and 

 breaking the ground immediately around the plants, allowing 

 no w^eeds to become strongly rooted. At the second hoeing 

 the soil should be brought up around the plant as much as 

 possible, as the leaves will soon be so large as to prevent 

 doing it later, and the plant needs this support to prevent 

 being blown over by the winds. Most of the future culti- 

 vating can be done by the cultivator, raising the rows quite 

 high to hold the plants up and prevent flooding by heavy 

 rains. 



Topping and Suckeeing. 



As soon as the plant has begun to show the wdiite of the 

 bud it should be topped. It is usually necessary to go over 

 the held several times, as it will not all be ready at the same 

 time. It should stand about four w^eeks after topping, de- 

 pending somewhat upon the season, time of topping, etc. 



Care should be exercised to keep the suckers from becom- 

 ing too large. Usually twice suckering will be sufficient to 

 keep it clean. The first time about six leaves down should 

 be suckered, and the entire plant previous to cutting. 



Insect Pests. 



One of the first insect pests to put in an appearance is the 

 cut-worm. They commence working as soon as the plants 

 are set, and often destroy many plants, necessitating a re- 

 setting. Probably the best way to get rid of them is by 

 Paris green, about a heaping teaspoonful to six quarts of 

 flour. No harm can come from its application, as the lower 

 leaves never mature. 



The green tobacco worm puts in an appearance about the 

 last of July, and must be hunted and destroyed. Potatoes 

 should never be planted by the side of tobacco, as the black 



