Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1920-03-02
AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION
81 DR.. ANDREW NJ SOULE

not live we'll nor grow off quickly
when transplanted. One and one-half
tablespoonsful of seed per one hun
dred square yards is about the
right amount to use. Mix this guam
tity of seed with about one peck
of fertilizer. road dust or wood
! ashes. In order to insure an even
sowing the seed should be divided
into two equal parts and the bed
gone over both ways. One of the
best methods of covering the seed
, is by tramping with the feet. This
firms the soil and presses the seed
into it. The bed should be left as
smooth as possible. If the smooth
ness of the bed will admit a hand
roller may be used for covering the
| seed.
Alter the seed are sown the bed
| is enclosed by laying poles to 10
| inches in diameter around it. The
poles are staked down to keep them
in place. Soil should then be thrown
up to the outside of the poles to
make the bed tight against winds,
insects and excess water If more
| convenient, boards may be used in
stead of poles. A good plan is to
dig a ditch around the bed with an
outlet to take away the water, as
shown in the illustration. This in
| sures good drainage and prevents
| the possibility of damage from sur
! face water. Hogs and cattle must
| be fenced away from the bed.
After the poles are in place the
| bed is covered with cheese cloth.
The cloth will retain the warmth
and make the plants earlier, and if
| tight all around and free from holes,
will keep out the insects.
Sew as many widths of this
cloth together as is necessary to
cover the bed. The cloth is kept
from sagging to the ground by plac-
| ing wire, poles or Stats across the
| bed. Also, wickets may be made
from green switches and placed here
and there over the bed. '.'
Tobacco seed may be sown from
January 1st to March list. The first
to the middle of January is prob
ably the best time.
Tobacco seed are very small and
hard. They are slow but seldom fail
to terminate. Seed IL to Is years
old have given good termination. If
a cold snap should kill some of the
| seed while they are terminating and
! the seed left is not sufficient for a
! good stand, more seed may be sown
without disturbing the bed. The seed
may be sown over the bed on ton
of the cloth. The rains will carry
the seed through the cloth into the
soil.
Tobacco plants grow rapidly when
conditions are right. 1t may be nee
essary to water the bed if the
weather is dry. A liberal watering
every three or four days is better
than little wetting each day. II
the bed gets weedy the weeds should
be pulled out by hand, preferably
when the bed is wet If mole gets
into the bed he must be caught
or he will destroy the entire bed
A few days before transplant
ing the cloth may be removed t.
harden the plants, or if the plants
are becoming over-grown the clotF
may be removed earlier. 1t is ad
VIsable to allow the plants to sta,
on the bed until they are five t.
six inches high. Small plants do no
live we'll or grow off properly. TIL,
plants should be ready to trans
plant in the field by the FIRST to 15tl
of April, -. cYsl
Always remember it is better tt
nave too many than not enough goot
plants. Without plants the who'll
years work is failure. A good be,
may supply as many as $4,000 plant
from 100 square yards in two O
three drawings, but it is not SAT-
to count on more than $4,000.