13G THE CrLrrRE OF TOBACCO. 



fertilizer drill, ov by hand, where the level system of planting is used. 

 Quick acting fertilizers, as nitrate nf soda, or nitrate of potash, are 

 often scattered around the plant while it is growing. This is done 

 where the crop has received some check from which it must recover, 

 or where excessive rainfall has washed the nitrogenous salts from the 

 soil. 



Nitrogenous salts shoultl n(jt be applied in any great excess of the 

 present needs of the plant, for' they will largely wash out of the 

 soil before the next growing season and be lost. Potash is not so 

 available, and perhaps should be applied in excess of the apparent 

 requirements of the plant, but not in any great excess, for, while it is 

 not so likely to leach out of the soil as is nitrogen, it will form 

 insoluble compounds and be unavailable for the following crops. 

 Where it has become insoluble it may be released by the use of lime. 

 Phosphate fertilizers when in only partially' soluble forms, as the 

 ground bone and phc>sphate rock, should be applied greatly in excess 

 of the present needs of the plant, for they will become slowly soluble 

 during a per'iod of years and Vje available to several crops. Where the 

 dissolved bone and the superphosphate rock are used, a large excess 

 must be avoided. Lime is better if added in moderate quantities each 

 year, than if all placed on at one time, for lime leaches easily and is 

 carried down to lower levels l)y the drainage water. Lime also gets 

 in a form where it is of less use as a neiitralizer of acids and a dissolver 

 of potash combinations. 



A rotation of crops is of great ad\-antage in keeping up the 

 fertility and condition of the land, but, in the establishment of the 

 rotation, great judgment must be used where tobacco forms one of the 

 links. Fertilizers containing impurities, as chlorine salts, may not be 

 harmful to the other crops and may be even of advantage from the 

 standpoint of cheapness, but these impurities w-ill remain in the soil 

 and injure the quality of the tobacco grown on the soil. The fertiliza- 

 tion of the other crops must always be done with the effect on the 

 tobacco crop borne in mind. Leguminous crops should have a place in 

 the rotation and should be followed, if the conditions will allow it, with 

 maize (mealies). A proper cultivation of the maize crop will place the 

 soil in fine condition for tobacco. The heavy ajiplieations of manure 

 sh<juld be used on the maize crop instead of on the leguminous crop. 

 A leguminous crop's chief merit lies in its ability to remove 

 nitrogen from the air and fix it in the soil, which function 

 will not be thoroughly exercised if the plant be well fed with 

 prepared nitrogen, as is the case where much manure is applied. 

 The bone and rock phosphates may also be applied to the corn 

 crop. 



The value of a fertilizer must not be estimated by the number of 

 tons applied, |)ut by the percentage of actual fertilizing materials in 

 each ton. Fertilizers containing large percentages of fertilizing 

 elements, command a much higher price than fertilizers containin'i^ 

 lower percentages, but the higher priced fertilizers are in reality much 

 less expensive to buy than the lower priced ones. There is much less 

 number of pounds of freight to be paid for in comparison with the 

 actual fertdizing material i-eceived, and much less labour required in 

 their application. Then again, where the percentage of fertilizing 

 elements is low, something must be used as a filling and to give weight 

 and the material used may be injurious to the "quality of the crop! 

 Eags, woollen waste, animal matter and certain animal "manures tenet 



