The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1937-02-16
TELLS HOW TO
PREPARE FOR
TOBACCOCROP
Buncombe Agent Gives
Timely Advice on Plant
Foods
BY A. w. NESBITT
Buneombe County Agent

For a successful plant bed, wise
selection of the location is very
important. The site should have
a southern or southeastern expo
sure so that the bed will get plen-
~ of sun light. The soil for the
bed should be rich. well drained,
and should contain an abundance
Of humus or organic matter. New
grounds, where the soil is fresh
and mellow and well supplied with
organic matter, is n good location
for the tobacco plant bed. Humus
in the soil will help hold the mois-
ture and at the same time prevent
q crust from forming on the sur
face Of the soil. A crust will pre-
vent small plants from pushing
through. and if it does get thru,
and If il does get thru, 1t Will
not be able TO make sufficient
growth. =,
Plant beds should be planned
in the fall or early winter If pos
sible. as this practice allows the
land to freeze and mellow during
the winter and DC in condition for
making a firm seed bed. II plow-
ING is delayed until time for SOW
ing the tobacco seed, it is diff
cult to get the bed into good con,
dition and firm enough to hold
sufficient moisture to insure prop
er termination of the seed and
growth of strong plants. II ma
nure is to be used on the plant
bed it should be applied in the
fall after the ground has been
piowed and the manure should be
worked into the soil thoroughly:
Only manure that is well rotted
should be used on the plant beds.
USED IN THIS SECTION
Burning the bed with wood Is
the method used in Western North
Carolina for sterilizing the soil.
This destroys the disease organ
isms and insects which are near
the top of the ground and 1t also
kills the weed seeds which are
near the surface of the soil, thus
preventing a crop of weeds which
may choke out the very young to-.
baceo plants. Brush and small
poles ar enot satisfactory for
burning the plant beds as they
burn up too quickly to produce
enough heat against the ground.
Large poles, split wood. or even
small logs which will reach en-
tirely across the bed will give the
best results. Even this intense
heat will destroy weed seed to
only a slight depth. so the ground
should not be stirred or raked
very deep because this would
bring live weed seed to the sur
face and cause no end of trouble.
For this reason always level the
bed before burning so that only
light raking is necessary for COM
pleting the seed bed.
The acreage to be set TO tobac-
CO will determine the size of the
bed. As a rule, about 200 square
feet is necessary to furnish
enough plants TO set an acre. Beds
are usually either nine or six feet
wide and whatever length neces-
sary to produce the desired size.
The six foot bed is more conven-
lent for burning, canvasing, wa
tering, and removing the plants
for transplanting.
To insure an abundance OF
available plant food in the soil
for the growth of the young to-
bacco plants, some good CONNER
cial fertilizer such as 4-8-4, or
SIS should be applied at the
time of seeding. Commercial. fer
tilizer may be applied to plant
beds at the rate of about ten
pounds or more for each one hun
.dred square feet Of bed. Nitrate
of soda in small amounts is, otter
added to the soil at the time Of
seeding TO assure simple available
nitrogen. II may be added late
when the plants indicate the need
hut care must be exercised or tn
tender plants will be burned. l
aitfate of soda is to be added af
ter the plants come up, it is safe
to apply it in, solution, The solu
ton should be applied evenly witt
A sprinkling can and followed wit
enough clear water TO wash all tn
solution from the leaves OF tn
ExRfY SEEDING DESIRABLE
Early seeding is desirable, bu
il Is a mistake to work the soil o
burn the bed when the ground !
wet. February is n good mont
for seeding the tobacco bed, bu
IL weather conditions cause delay
early March seeding is usuali
satisfactory. About level tee
spoonful of sound, clean seed
enough to SOW 200 square feet o
bed. II heavier seeding IS pracc
ticed. the plants will be too thics
and will grow slender and wea
instead of stocky and strong. A
even distribution of seed is desiI
able. To get this uniform distrl
button mix the seed with ashes o
comercial fertilizer and sow en-
bed over several times, using
portion of the seed each time. TIC
bacco seed are small and shoul
be covered very lightly. A boar
12 inches square, nailed on tn
end of an old shovel or hoe har
die, is a good tool for tampin
the bed after the seed have bee
sown. This will cover the see
and firm the soil so it will hoi
moisture. The practice OF tram!
ing the bed after sowing is ST.
used and is satisfactory: .o,vs