53 



h'dible Products. 



Weeding.— Pick all weeds as they appear, as, if allowed to get big before 

 they are pulled out, the tobacco seedlings come out with them. 



Hardening Off.— -Four Aveeks after germination the seeds will begin to pack 

 up together, covering the soil ; they should now be gradually hardened off by keep- 

 ing them on the dry side, watering them only when there is danger of the leaves 

 drooping. In seven weeks from sowing they will be ready for planting out. 



Damping. — Sometimes a shower of rain will bruise the young plants, inducing 

 ' damping ' in some places ; to prevent the spread of the ' damping-off ' fungus, apply 

 a dusting of slaked lime to the affected parts of the bed. 



Summary of Nursery Work. 



Select a southern aspect for nursery. Secure the destruction of caterpillars 

 and a loose, uncakable soil by burning. Sow the seeds thinly and evenly. Keep 

 them moist and protected from sharp sunlight and heavy rain during germination. 



Remove the shade gradually as soon as sufficient seeds have been germinated, 

 e.g., an inch apart. Keep down weeds and continue the watering until the plants 

 pack up together. Gradually withhold the water to ensure the seedlings being hard 

 when planted out. Look out for damp after a shower of rain. 



Planting. 



Time for Planting.— There is a certain short period towards the end of the 

 year in which tobacco plants, whether in the beds or in the field, grow and develop 

 at an exceedingly rapid rate ; namely, from the last week in October to the middle 

 of December ; the success of a crop depends very largely on whether the main lot of 

 plants is set out before this period or not ; if not, then the plants will not be full 

 developed by the time the dry ripening weather comes on. The main point is to 

 make the best possible use of the latter half of the October ' seasons ' with a view to 

 growing large plants and leaves that will be ready for the dry weather when it 

 arrives. 



Soil. — The best soil for tobacco is a rich vegetable mould containing just 

 sufficient clay to enable it to hold moisture for a good length of time ; it can be taken 

 as a maxim that the richer the soil is and the quicker the tobacco grows the better will 

 be the quality of the cured product. Tobacco grown in a poor, gravelly soil at a hot, 

 dry time of the y ear is so rank and heavy with narcotic gum that it is almost un- 

 smokable ; it makes, however, a first-class insecticide. 



Situation of Plantation. —Tobacco should not be planted in districts where 

 there are no well defined wet and dry seasons ; it matters not how well the plants are 

 grown, how carefully they are tended, if the two or three weeks' continuous sun- 

 shine and dry atmosphere be not forthcoming when the plants reach the ripening 

 stage. 



Preparation of Land.— The land on which it is intended to grow tobacco 

 should be cleared of all trees and other objects that are likely to shade the plants ; it 

 is not necessary to grub the stumps out except for convenience in ploughing ; the 

 rubbish should be burned in heaps and the ashes scattered over the soil to be ploughed 

 in. Where tobacco is grown every year on the same land the growth of cow peas or 

 other leguminous plants between the crops is highly beneficial ; the velvet bean 

 seems to be the best for this purpose, for besides storing nitrogen in the soil, it climbs 

 over and kills out any weeds that attempt to grow, and goes down itself quite easily 

 before the disc harrow at ploughing time, reducing the cost of preparation very con- 

 siderably. The seeds may be sown at any time during June and July, two or three 

 in shallow holes 8 feet apart, more or less. Tobacco land should be broken up and 



