232 IRRIGATION FARMING. 



furrows, the latter being the better plan, and once 

 every three or four weeks will suffice. The water 

 should run for twelve hours at a time, and a good 

 wetting just as the buds are forming is very beneficial. 

 No water should be put on after the 1 5th of August, 

 as the crop is then guaranteed. 



Tobacco. — The soil should be carefully prepared 

 before time to transplant from the frames. Irrigation 

 furrows between the three-foot rows should be made 

 deep and must be in readiness so that the water may 

 follow closely upon the setting out. If the soil is 

 moist the plants may be .set and the damp earth firmed. 

 If the soil is dry a puddle should be made for the 

 roots, and a small irrigating stream should be allowed 

 to trickle past until the plants take new root. Trans- 

 planting is done the same as with cabbages or toma- 

 toes, and the modern plan, where the acreage is large, 

 is to use the transplanting machine drawn by a team. 

 This machine has an automatic jet of water for each 

 hill as the plant is set, and is a great labor-saving 

 device. Frequent cultivation is necessary, but water 

 should be applied very cautiously. Too much water 

 causes the tobacco to ' * french ' ' and become worthless. 

 If not enough water is used the plants will soon wither 

 and parch, thus becoming of no use as a crop. The 

 tops should be pinched out after the plants reach a 

 hight of thirty inches. This topping process will be 

 followed by a crop of suckers equal in number to the 

 leaves on each plant. These must be removed twice, 

 at least, before the tobacco is ready for cutting. One 

 irrigation during the middle period of growth is usu- 

 ally sufficient for tobacco, providing the cultivation 



