DIRECTIONS FOR CULTURE. 17 



Water should be applied in the form of a light spray. During the first 

 two weeks of plant growth it is essential that the surface soil be kept 

 comparatively moist at all times, for at this stage a few hours of hot 

 sun, after the soil has become dry, will be sufficient to kill most of the 

 plants. Where irrigation is used in growing the general crop a sys- 

 tem of OA^erhead spray nozzles has been found to give excellent results. 



As has been previously mentioned, great care must be taken to 

 remove all weeds and grass that may appear among the young plants. 

 In every case, before undertaking the process of weeding the bed, it 

 is most important to water thoroughly. This will prevent any serious 

 injury being done to the roots of the tobacco plants. 



One of the most injurious insects to be guarded against in the culti- 

 vation of the seed bed is a flea-beetle. The injury to the plants by 

 this insect may be prevented b} r the use of a light spray of Paris green. 

 The mixture should be made at the rate of 1 pound of Paris green and 

 an equal quantity of quicklime to 100 gallons of water, which should be 

 kept constantly stirred when in use. The same remedy can be applied 

 in the case of the hornworm, where thp, seed bed is not inclosed or 

 covered. 



A very satisfactoiy fertilizer consists of 1,000 pounds of cotton seed, 

 1,000 pounds of cotton-seed meal, 300 pounds of carbonate of potash, 

 700 pounds of fine-ground bone, and 800 pounds of lime to the acre. 

 The cotton seed should be put on the field after it has been plowed 

 and three weeks or one month before it is finally prepared for trans- 

 planting. W 7 herever it can be obtained cow-pen manure should be 

 used broadcast at the rate of 20 to 25 loads per acre. Cow-pen manure 

 promotes very rapid growth and often becomes the means of securing 

 a good crop of tobacco on land badly infested with nematodes. This 

 kind of plant food enables the plant to throw out new roots faster than 

 the nematodes can destroy the old ones. 



When produced for wrapper purposes the Sumatra variet}^ of tobacco 

 is usually grown under shade. The purpose of the shade is to protect 

 the crop from insects and other dangers and by reason of reducing 

 the light to secure a thin leaf. The effect of the shade is also shown in 

 influencing the humidity of the atmosphere and the temperature. The 

 plants under shade show a much more rapid growth than the outside 

 tobacco, and the leaves are finer, very thin and elastic, and with very 

 small veins. Such characteristics as these in wrapper tobacco are 

 desired by manufacturers. 



Where no cover crop is grown during the winter the land should be 

 plowed frequently and kept thoroughly stirred. This destroys many 

 of the nematodes, and in that way greatly reduces the damage due to 

 these insects the following year. This constant cultivation also pre- 

 vents, to some extent, the depredations of the thrips; it prevents the 

 growth of grass and weeds, which serve as host plants for this insect. 

 15304— No. 91—06 3 



