13 



2:)0uuds. These bundles are made by means of a box 30 inches long, 12 

 inches wide, and 12 inches deep. Strings are pLaced at even distances 

 across the box and pressed down well into little notches cut in the 

 edge of the side. A sheet of paper, 28 inches by 50 inches, is then laid 

 inside the box, on which the tobacco is put, placing the heads of the 

 leaves to each end of the box and allowing the tips to lap in the center. 

 When the box is well filled the paper is folded over the top and the 

 strings securely tied. This gives a neat and easily handled package* 

 In this condition it is delivered to the packing house as quickly as pos- 

 sible. In the barn the following grades are kept separate — bottom 

 leaves, middle leaves, and top leaves — each package being marked to 

 show its contents. This ends the work of the farmer. 



CULTIVATION OF SUMATRA TOBACCO IN FLORIDA. 



SELECTION AND PREPARATION OF SEED BED. 



All that has been written relative to the selection of the land and 

 the preparation of seed beds for the Cuban tobacco applies to the Su- 

 matra as well, except that the Sumatra beds are sown later. It is the 

 aim of the farmer to get all of the Cuban crop set out by May 15, about 

 which time the setting of the Sumatra croj) begins. The setting of the 

 Sumatra crop is finished about the 15th or 20th of June. All the seed 

 beds must be sown with the view of having the plants when needed. 



FIELD WORK. 



!N'ew, low hammock is decidedly the best land on which to grow 

 Sumatra tobacco. The soil should be light gray with a clay subsoil. 

 Sumatra tobacco must have a rapid growth in order to produce light, 

 thin wrappers, and if the land is not rich it must be made so by fertil- 

 izers. A little comi:)lete guano, not exceeding 200 pounds per acre, may 

 be used to stimulate the plants at the early stage of growth. Cotton 

 seed, cotton-seed meal, and cotton-seed hull ashes are generally consid- 

 ered the best fertilizers for tobacco. If a great quantity of cotton seed 

 is used it should be crushed and scattered broadcast over the land and 

 plowed in. This is done about six weeks before the time for setting the 

 plants. The quantity of fertilizer is governed in all cases Dy the orig- 

 inal strengthoftheland. Whennotmorethan75or lOObushelsofcotton- 

 ser d per acre are used they are put in the drill. This is done by bed- 

 ding out the land about four weeks before tlie time of setting the plants, 

 immediately after which the fertilizer is evenly distributed along the 

 water furrow and covered with two furrows. This is allowed to remain 

 about three weeks, when a 10-inch solid sweep is used to break out tlie 

 list in which the fertilizer has been put, letting the plow run well down, 

 thus mixing the fertilizer with the soil. This furrow is followed imme- 

 diately by two other furrows, throwing the soil back and making a 

 ridge on which to set the plants. Before setting out the plants tlie 



