12 



the field after the tobacco is planted. But the mistake should not be 

 made of waiting too long after the rains to begin plowing, as the 

 surface of the soil bakes, making it difficult to plow. 



TRANSPLANTIKG . 



Marking off the ground in rows is the final operation before trans- 

 planting, and the distance apart the plants should be placed depends 

 largely upon the type of tobacco desired. The quality of tobacco the 

 planter desires to produce must be taken into consideration, both in 

 marking off the rows, and in transplanting the plants in the rows. 

 Since a sandy loam is better adapted to the production of a fine, thin, 

 elastic leaf, suitable for wrapper purposes, the plants should be placed 

 close in the rows when gi'own on such land. Wliere the soil is heavy 

 and contains clay, it is better adapted to the production of leaves 

 suitable for filler purposes. On such soils the rows should be farther 

 apart and the plants should be placed farther apart in the rows, in 

 order that the leaves may have room to develop. 



Under favorable conditions tobacco plants should be large enough 

 to transplant in from six to eight weeks from the time of sowing .the 

 seed bed, and as soon as the plants are large enough, they should be 

 transplanted. 



Before drawing any plants from the bed it should be wet thoroughly, 

 unless this has just been done by a good rain. Draw the plants one 

 at a time. Leave the smaller plants for future plantings. In drawing 

 the plants from the bed, never catch hold of the bud or stem, but always 

 by the leaves above the bud. If the leaves are slightly bruised this 

 does not hurt the plant, but if the bud or stem is injured the growth of 

 the plant is greatly retarded and it frequently dies from the effects of 

 the injury. 



After the plants are drawn from the bed they should be protected from 

 the sun, and transplanted as soon as possible. If kept out of the soil 

 for any length of time they lose their vitality. 



Transplanting should never be done while the sun is very hot or the 

 soil dry. The best time for transplanting is in the late afternoon and at 

 night, this gives the roots of the plants time to secure a hold in the 

 soil before they are exposed to the hot rays of the sim. 



If the weatlier is not cloudy at the time of planting, it is advisable 

 to shade the plants for a few days. This may be done by laying banana 

 leaves over the plants. This not only shades the plants, but also tends 

 to conserve the much needed moisture around their roots. 



