TOBACCO CULTURE. 43 . 



row the plants may be, set with almost certain satisfactory 

 results. Large crops in the south are often transplanted by 

 making a hole with a peg about three inches deep. Into 

 this a half pint of water is poured and then the plant set 

 with the dry soil pressed about the stalk. 



The roots of the young plant should not be crowded or 

 cramped by the process of transplanting, but should be 

 spread as naturally as possible. The depth to which the 

 plants should be set is controlled by the variety. Cuban 

 tobacco requires far deeper setting than other kinds. In 

 any case, care must be taken that the bud, or "chit" be left 

 uncovered by the soil. 



CULTIVATION. 



Tobacco especially requires clean cultivation and un- 

 remitting care. Level culture is preferred with all varieties 

 of tobacco, although in certain sections of the southern 

 states a great deal of tobacco is still grown by the ridge or 

 hili methods. Because of the enormous surface of leaf ex- 

 posure in the tobacco plant, its water requirements are very 

 great. It is easily damaged by drought. This can be 

 guarded against by repeated shallow cultivation during dry 

 weather By this means, a thin covering of fine earth stops 

 evaporation of soil water. It is, in fact, a mulch. This is 

 particularly important, because the quality of the leaf so 

 largely controls its value. The hill method is adapted to 

 heavy tobacco as the tips of the leaves are somewhat pro 

 tected from the injury which they otherwise suffer by com 



