l6 TOBACCO CULTURE. 



either in the sun or near a stove. When the seed in the earth 

 has sprouted, the entire mass may be sown in the same way 

 that ungerminated seed would be sown when mixed with 

 earth, meal or other material recommended in the sowing 

 of seed 



THE SEED BED. 



The use of the seed bed is two-fold : First, to gain time 

 in starting the crop, and second, to furnish better protection 

 to the young plants than is possible with field planting. As 

 the first need in the selection of the seed bed is warmth, a 

 protected and sheltered spot with Southern exposure is best. 

 In the northern states, a wall, a building or fence is utilized 

 for shelter. In the south, planters, take advantage of the pres- 

 ence of a strip of woods. Fine, warm, mellow, thoroughly 

 pulverized soil is necessary. In the south, new ground is 

 preferred ; in the north, old ground. The same place may 

 be used year after year for the seed bed. In the southern 

 states, particularly Florida, where Cuban methods are 

 closely followed, the ground selected for the seed bed is pre- 

 viously burned over by laying sticks of wood or small logs 

 lengthwise on the bed, and covering the same with brush 

 or light dry wood. When the soil has been thoroughly heat- 

 ed for about half an hour, the fire is removed, and put on 

 another part of the bed. 



The object of burning is first, the destruction of weed 

 seed, and secondly, to improve the mechanical condition of 

 the new land to be used for the bed. It is a question if either 



