132 THE CULTURE OF TOBACCO. 



ciinclusion must be that in the use of fertilizers for the stocking of 

 the soil with those elements it usually lacks (as potash, phosphcjric 

 acid, and nitrogen), materials should not be used that have as 

 impurities elements likely to l:)e injurious, such as chlorine, which is 

 ordinarily present in the form of common salt (sodium chloride). 



A large percentage of nitrogen in the soil increases the pro- 

 duction of albuminoids, and a large percentage of albuminoids in 

 the leaf is considered (jbjectionable, for they cause the leaf to burn 

 badly, and to have a disagreeable odour. An excess of nitrogen 

 also "tends to the pmduction of a thick, coarse leaf, and such a leaf 

 will burn less readily than a leaf of finer texture. The heavier 

 and coarser the leaf the greater is the tendency to the formation 

 of nicotine. The accumulation of nicotine and of an excess of 

 albuminoids is more injurious to the equality of ordinary smoking 

 tobaccos than it is to cigar leaf, for those compcjuuds are largely 

 reduced and transformed during the process of fermentation that 

 the latter leaf goes through. 



Phosphoric acid is u.sually deficient in tobacco soils, and must 

 be supplied, but an excess of phosjjhoric acid in the leaf has a 

 tendency to hasten the rijjening process, and may injure the burn- 

 ing qualities of the leaf. 



No fixed foi'mulee can lie given ffjr the fertilization of tobacco, 

 for the reason that the elements, and the amounts required, will 

 differ with each change of soil and climate. The grower himself 

 must determine, from his knowledge of the soil and its require- 

 ments ; of the tobaccf) plant and its natui'e ; and of the action of 

 different fertilizers and their relative cost, as to the extent and 

 composition of the manm'ing that he will give his land. 



Stable manure is one of the best fertilizers where a large, coarse 

 leaf is desired, but where the finer types are to be produced, it must 

 be used in lesser quantities and be supplemented with commercial 

 fertilizers. Stable manure is nitrogenous, and if used in excess will 

 make the leaf produced thick and strong. However, stable manure 

 has a value beyond that of its appaient fertilizing A'alue. By its 

 decay in the soil it warms it and stimulates ])lant growth. The 

 decaying of manure also assists in the dissolution of difterent 

 fertilizing elements and in placing them in a condition to lie of 

 value to the plant. It also encourages the action of the beneficial 

 nitrifying bacteria and improves both the drainage and the water- 

 holding capacity of the soil by the addition of humus. Humus is 

 decayed animal or vegetaljle matter. The greater the amount of 

 humus in the soil, the greater the tendency to tlie thickening of the 

 texture and the darkening of the colour of the leaf, so that there 

 is a point in the production of fine tobacco whei-e the addition <A 

 further humus is not desirable. Swamp or vlei lands are, as a rule, 

 rich in hum.us, aiul the humus may, or may not, be rich in nitrogen, 

 that being a matter dependent on the nature (.if the vegetation that 

 formed the humus, and upon the drainage conditions that the hunnis 

 has been sul)jected to: 



Humus and nitrogen may be added to the soil by the ploughing 

 under, or the decay upon it, of nitrdgen gathering crops, as^peas. 

 beans, clover, beggar weed, and other leguminous plants. The 

 action of these upon the soil is somewhat similar to the action of 

 stable manm-e. Leguminous crops have this further virtue, that 

 they draw theii- nitnigen largely from the atmosphere, and that 



