The Dillon herald. [volume] (Dillon, S.C.) 1894-????, 1919-01-23
AND PREPARATION
OF THE TOBACCO SEED RED.

Early vigorous plants arc neces-
sary for best results with tobacco
Location, fertilization, and prepara-
tlon OF the seed bed are necessary
lor good plants. Select well drained
irAole land, protected on north by
WOODS For each fire acres to be-
planted there should be 200 SQUARE
yards of seed bed, preferably Is
teet wide and as long as necessary
ior greater ease in placing and re-
placing cover. If selected in the
woods there will be less danger from
grass seed and cold spring winds.
Clean off all trash, roots, ETC., and
sterilize or burn" the soil. Law
sklds or small poles two feet apart
OIL the bed and put on dry wood suf-
ficient to produce heat enough to
destroy any fungii spores in the ton
or inches of soil. This also putS
the soil in good mechanical condi-
ton. Rake off unburned chunks
and large Goals and work the soil
III such a way as to leave the
burnt soil on top. A grubbing hoe
may be used, care being taken to
pull hoe out at same angle it was
drlVen IN, to pulverize the land wen
four or five inches deep.
Apply any good tobacco or cotton
complete fertilizer, los pounds to
100 square yards of bed. Hog pen
manure is fine, as it contains no
grass seed. Avoid other manure.
for picking grass and weeds from
the bed later is both expensive and
injurious to the tobacco plants. In
corporate the fertilizer thoroughly
with the top soil and rake till in
perfect condition.
Sow about two level teaspoonsfuls
OF seed to each 100 square yards.
using care to distribute evenly over
the bed. Some consider it desirable
10 mix the seed with two or three
quarts of cheap flour, land plaster.
dry ashes, or sifted road dust for
proper even distribution. Tobacco.
seed need no covering except that
obtained by rolling with rooler. or
by firm uniform pressure such az
might be given by careful trampling
with bare feet.
Lay and stake in place poles or
boards about six inches high around
the bed and throw up earth against
the outside Of these. Ditch around
the bed to keep out all surface
water.
loosely woven cloth mesh for
the purpose Of covering beds can be
bought at dry goods stores. Sow
strips together to get a cover wide
enough, with seams running the long
way of the bed. Place wire, small
poles or Stats across for the cover
to rest on SO that will be ten inches
above surface of bed. This keeps
out insects, retains moisture and heat
and prevents frost injury.
Plant seed January 1, to March 1,
preferably not much later than Jam
uary Is. Though slow to germi-
nate, they seldom fail to do so.
Cold snaps at certain stages of ger
mination may kill some of the
seeds, and if not sufficient stand is
left, more seed may be sown on the
bed without disturbing it at ALL
Tobacco plants grow rapidly under
favorable conditions. Keep weeds
and grass removed and moisture
conditions right, watering frequently
if dry weather. If plants are yell
low and unthrifty, apply one quart
of nitrate of soda to 100 square
yards. Beat soda fine, run thru
seive, and SOW on bed in afternoon
when plants are dry, and apply water
or not as needed. In watering
liberal wetting every four days is
., better than sprinkling daily.
About April l, or earlier, after
danger of frost, remove the cover
and allow plants to tougher. BY
April to Is in the coastal region
of the state and correspondingly
/ later to about May 10 in other parts
+ of the state, plants will be ready to
transplant. 1t is better to let them
get to be strong stocky plants about
six inches high in the bed before
transplanting.