III. CULTURE 



The various types of tobacco are grown in well- 

 defined localities where soil and climate have 

 been found to yield a product with properties 

 desired for manufacture or export. The methods 

 of growing and handling are also determined by 

 the kind of leaf required by the trade. 



Seeding 



Tobacco seedlings are grown in seedbeds of 

 sterilized soil covered with either cheese cloth, a 

 plastic or a new cover of synthetic material. The 

 seeds are also so tiny that 1 ounce contains about 

 300 to 450 thousand seeds. A sixth to an eighth of 

 an ounce (4 to 6 grams) of seed is enough to sow 

 100 square yards (84 square meters) of seedbed, 

 and will furnish enough plants to set 1 to 4 acres 

 (0.4 to 1.6 hectares) in the field. To assure 

 adequate plants at the proper time, rule of thumb 

 is to sow 50-100 square yards (42-84 square 

 meters) of seedbed for each acre (0.4 hectare) to 

 be set in the field. 



Seeding may be done with a mechanical seeder 

 or by mixing the seed with clean sand, pulverized 

 fertilizer, ashes, or lime before sowing. Germina- 

 tion begins when the temperature reaches about 

 65° F (18° C). The plants are ready for trans- 

 planting to the fields when they have developed 6 

 to 8 leaves and are 6 to 8 inches (152.4 to 203.2 

 millimeters) high. 



Soils and Fertilization 



Tobacco is a very sensitive plant, and proper 

 fertilization is an important factor in producing 

 the specific kind of leaf desired. The farmer must 

 know the exact kinds and amounts of fertilizers 

 for his particular kind of soil. For instance, the 

 quantity of nitrogen, which stimulates rapid 

 growth, is of critical importance for flue-cured, 

 but is not so important for burley and Maryland. A 

 liberal supply of potash, in the form of sulfate, car- 

 bonate, or nitrate, reduces the susceptibility to 

 bacterial leaf spot diseases, and also improves the 

 burning quality of the tobacco. Theexcessive use 

 of chlorides in any form impairs the burning 

 quality. Barnyard manures, when available, are 

 used to considerable extent in some types, such 

 as burley and Wisconsin, but very sparingly in 

 the flue-cured areas. The development of the 

 plant is seriously affected if any one of the 

 chemical elements necessary for its growth is 

 lacking in the soil. 



These tobacco seedlings are ready to be transplanted. 



Transplanting tobacco by machine. 



