ure will, on a very light colored soil, change the 
color of the tobacco leaf from a bright yellow 
to a mahogany shade. Very light sandy soils 
or very light loams with clayey subsoils are 
usually chosen for these light yellow tobaccos. 
Although by processes subsequent to growth it 
is possible to darken the color of tobacco leaf, 
there is no known process that will make a dark 
leaf light in color. 
Moreover, the soil must be very fertile and 
rich in-the special substances needed by the 
growing plant. This is all the more necessary 
because tobacco is a rapidly growing plant, 
and reaches its maturity within a few months 
after its planting. The rapidity of growth 
therefore demands a rich fertile soil well stored 
with plant food. Good manuring, or liberal 
treatment with fertilizers, is essential for keep- 
ing such soils in prime condition, because the 
period of growing must not be extended. 
Tobacco is usually planted in rows, the rows 
being from three to four feet apart, the usual | 
arrangement being that the plants are generally - 
about 12 or 18 inches apart in the row. “Some 
planters, however, give the plarits more room 
for many reasons, varying the distance between 
the plants even as much as 30 inches. Cigar 
leaf tobacco plants are usually placed about 14 
inches apart. 
23 
