42 THE CULTURE OF TOJIACCO. 



night a poition of the heat of the day. It will also protect the plants 

 from drying winds, fi'osts, and insects. AVheve the cloth cannot be 

 .secured "a light covering of grass, or even of light brush, will .serve 

 to partially protect the bed fr(jm the sun, winds, and frost. This 

 covering should be raised at least a foot off the bed, by means of a 

 light framework. 



Unusual care must be exerci.sed in handling the plant bed, for it 

 is a very e,aay matter to .so injure the plants as to dwarf them through- 

 out their life period. The soil should 1)6 kept moist, but not wet. 

 If too much water lie used the plants are not only likely to be 

 smothered, l)ut conditions are made favourable to the development 

 of fungus diseases. Within two weeks after sowing the plants will 

 appear; for some time it may appear that they are not making any 

 growth ; this is the period when they, having exhausted the material 

 stored in the seed, are adapting themselves to the new conditions 

 of life. In a month after sowing a rapid growth will start, and in 

 another month the plants should be ready for transplanting. Plants 

 are better if not allowed ti:i become too large before planting, as an 

 over large plant is mi ire likely to grow lanky. American growers prefer 

 to set out the plants when the top covers about the area of a five 

 .shilling piece. During the last month in the plant bed it will pay 

 to water occasionally with licjuid manure. For a week <ir more 

 before planting, the canvas covering should be removed, to allow the 

 plants to become hardened. If the plants apjpjear to be growing too 

 thickly they should lie thinned out ; one good plant to each square 

 inch is sufficient. This will give about thirteen hundred plants to 

 the square yard. 



In drawing the plants for transplanting care must be taken to 

 secure as much root as possible. The plant lied should be thoroughly 

 soaked, so as to allow the roots to be drawn with little breakage. 

 When the large plants are drawn out of the bed the soil should be 

 immediately watered, if not already done, in order to jiack the earth 

 around the roots of the remaining plants, which will have been dis- 

 turbed by the operation. As soon as the plants have been drawn 

 they should lie placed in a basket, with the roots downward. The 

 top of the basket must be covered with a cloth, and the basket ])ut 

 in a cool place until the plants are set out. 



PREPARATION OF THE LAND, AND PLANTING. 



Within sixty days after it is set in the field the tobacco plant has 

 reached maturity. In order to pi-operly accomplish this result, the 

 soil must lie well tilled, so as to allow the roots to rapidly pursue their 

 search for nourishment. The soil must be in a condition to admit air 

 to the rootlets and also to the beneficial nitrifying bacteria in the soil, 

 and at the same time it must have the ability to hold snfiicient 

 moisture for the needs of the crop. This condition can be reached 

 only by a thorough preparation of the soil before planting time. The 

 fibrous rooted tobacco plant seeks its food neai' the surface, but 

 because of this fact the subs<iil should not be neglected, for on the 

 condition of the sulisoil depends largely the moisture content of the 

 surface soil. The land .should have one, and, if possible, two thorough 

 ploughings, and then be placed in as fine a tilth as possible by the use 

 of harrows. 



