MARYLAND SMOKING TOBACCO. 31 



MARYLAND SMOKING TOBACCO. 



The seed bed should be located on a dark, friable, loamy soil with 

 a southern exposure. The plants ma} 7 be easily watered if the seed 

 bed be located near a brook. The old method of burning the seed 

 bed has been largely abandoned, but, if used, care should be taken to 

 burn onl} T small timber and brush. A large quantity of ashes is detri- 

 mental to the growth of the young plants. All trees within 30 or 35 

 feet should be cut down and piled on the north and west sides of the 

 seed bed for a partial protection against the cold winds. 



The proper time for preparing and sowing the seed bed is from 

 February 1 to March 30. The bed should be spaded to a depth of 1 

 or 5 inches, and all roots and tufts carefully removed. The soil 

 must be thoroughly pulverized with garden hoes, hand rakes, or other 

 suitable implements. Before the last stirring an application of a highly 

 nitrogenous fertilizer should be evenly distributed over the bed and 

 thoroughly incorporated into the soil. A mixture of 50 pounds of 

 nitrate of soda, 40 pounds of fine-ground bone, and 10 pounds of car- 

 bonate of potash, applied at the rate of 30 pounds per square rod, is 

 highly recommended. 



Sow the seed at the rate of two tablespoonfuls to the square rod. 

 It can best be uniform^ distributed over the bed by mixing with 

 wood ashes or land plaster, dividing it into two equal parts, and sow- 

 ing half of it over the bed crosswise and the other half lengthwise. 

 The sides of the bed should be from 8 to 10 inches high, and wires 

 3 feet apart should be stretched across it. The beds can be covered 

 with light cheese cloth or tobacco-bed cloth, after the seed has been 

 sowed. The covering serves as a protection against the ravages of the 

 flea-beetles and other insects, provided there are no open spaces around 

 the bed. All weeds and grass should be removed. It is seldom 

 necessary to water the plant beds, except in the case of unusuall} T dry 

 weather. Water at this time is very essential. It should be applied 

 as in the northern seed beds, but less frequently, it being seldom 

 necessary to water the beds more than twice a week. 



In most cases it is advisable to replenish the plant food with a top- 

 dressing or fertilizer of the same composition as that of the first appli- 

 cation. This should be applied in liquid form, wherever it is possible 

 to wash it in thoroughly; otherwise it is most important to top-dress 

 the beds only during hot, dry days. The top-dressing should be used 

 when the plants are from 2 to 3 inches high. Where cloth is not used 

 for a covering, the beds must be closely guarded against the attacks of 

 the flea-beetle. When this insect first makes its appearance the plants 

 should be treated with Paris green at the rate of 1 pound to 30 pounds 

 of land plaster. The cloth covering should be removed from the beds 



