IN THE FIELD 367 



flavor, much attention must be given to the soil as well as to the 

 variety and to the curing processes. 



Light loams as a rule give best results, but tobacco of dif- 

 ferent grades is grown on a wide range of soils, varying from 

 sandy loams to very heavy loams. If the soil be loose and open 

 and the subsoil heavy the moisture conditions are likely to be 

 most favorable for producing a steady, continuous growth. It is 

 proverbial among growers to say that "tobacco is hard on the 

 land," and much fertilizing is necessary to keep up the fertility 

 of the soil. 



For the tobacco grower the use of proper fertilizers is as im- 

 portant as careful selection of soil. Fertilizer must suit the type 

 of tobacco to be grown and must be well balanced and contain no 

 ingredients which are detrimental to the tobacco leaf. If too 

 much phosphate is used it affects the ash of cigars. The grower 

 should never use kainit or muriate of potash, but should obtain 

 the potash in the sulfate form. For the supply of nitrogen it is 

 best to use well-rotted barnyard manure, green manure, or com- 

 mercial nitrogen in the organic form, as from dry blood, tankage 

 and cottonseed meal. If nitrate of soda is used it should be in 

 small amounts. 



The young plants for tobacco fields are first started in seed 

 beds and later transplanted to the fields. About two months are 

 usually allowed from seeding time to transplanting time. This 

 requires some heating and protection of the seed beds in many 

 localities. As the transplanting should take place soon after the 

 latest spring frost, the beds are started in late winter or very early 

 spring. 



Tobacco seed is very fine and to properly sow it in the beds it 

 is usually mixed with sand or well sifted ashes to aid in sufficiently 

 distributing it. It is covered very lightly and kept well watered. 

 The beds are commonly made in the form of long hotbeds, and 

 may be covered either with glass or with light muslin. The latter 

 may be so arranged that it can be rolled up when the weather is 

 warm. When glass is much used care must be exercised to pre- 

 vent the ' 'damping off" of the plants, due to bad ventilation and 

 excessive heat on warm days, 



In the Field. As excessive growth of the root system is not 

 desired it is usual to practice spring plowing, but if the field be 

 plowed in the fall it may be disked very deep in the spring or plowed 

 crosswise. The surface soil should be made very fine. If several 



