TOBACCO 255 



Station is not regarded as too heavy for Kentucky 

 conditions, and is well within the bounds of " taking- 

 pains." The a'bove mixture may be applied in the drill, 

 or half in the drill and half broadcast, and the land 

 ridged up, before the tobacco is transplanted. 



According to the United States Bureau of Plant Indus- 

 try, from 800 to 1,000 Ib. of a complete fertilizer per 

 acre should contain from 3 to 4 per cent, nitrogen, 

 6 to 10 per cent, potash (always as sulphate), and 8 per 

 cent, phosphoric acid. 



In North Carolina a fertilizer is used on the field at 

 the time of transplanting containing 3 per cent, nitrogen, 

 8 per cent, phosphoric acid, and 3 per cent, potash. This 

 fertilizer contains nearly one-third of its nitrogen in the 

 form of nitrate of soda, that is to say, about 125 Ib. 

 in each ton of the mixture is Chilean nitrate. This is 

 also the practice now recommended by the United States 

 Bureau of Plant Industry for the North Carolina tobacco- 

 growing areas. The balance of the nitrogen is in the 

 organic form and of the highest grade organic material 

 in a very fine state of division. 



One grower in North Carolina used nitrate at the rate 

 of 100 Ib. to the acre alone, and sold his crop at 17 cents 

 a pound, and where he used no nitrate he was obliged to 

 sell the crop for 9 cents a pound. 



Chilean nitrate is also used in North Carolina as a 

 side dressing and followed by cultivation about June 15, 

 when the crop is half-grown. It makes more weight 

 and does not make the fibre heavier. The average yield 

 of tobacco in North Carolina is 670 Ib. to the acre. The 

 soils, however, are, as a rule, rather light and low in 

 fertility. 



When nitrate is applied in solution, oz. is dissolved 

 in a gallon of water, for the double purpose of watering 

 and feeding the tobacco plants. Nitrate solution may be 

 applied at the rate of about half a gallon of water to 

 each tobacco plant subsequent to transplanting. This 

 would amount to a little less than an application of 

 100 Ib. per acre. 



The use of commercial fertilizers, generally speaking. 



