f sunrays as well as heavy showers. To this
end forked sticks about three inches high, are placed
around the tobacco beds, opposite one another, and into
these forks thin twigs are laid, which are covered with
palm-leaves in such a way as to form a slight roof."

[Illustration: Covering plant bed.]

In Syria the tobacco seed is sown in ground free from stones, well
manured with goats dung, and strewn over with prickly bushes to
protect the young plants from birds. The plants are watered daily till
they reach the height of eight or ten inches, when they are
transplanted. In Persia where the celebrated Shiraz tobacco is
cultivated, the seed is planted in a dark soil slightly manured; the
ground is covered with light thorny bushes to keep it warm, and these
are removed when the plants are a few inches high. The ground is
regularly watered if required, and when the plants are six to eight
inches high are transplanted. In Turkey
"the tobacco seed is sown
early in the spring, in small beds carefully prepared for
the early growth of the young plants. In a few weeks the
plants appear thick; then begins the occupation of the
farmer's wife, and their numerous children, whose little
fingers are engaged day by day in thinning the beds, care
being taken to leave the most healthy looking plants. The
husband is engaged either in carrying water from the nearest
well by the aid of his mule, or in preparing the land for
the reception of the plants. The beds are well watered
before sunrise and after sundown."

"The Hungarian peasantry always make their tobacco beds
against the south ends of their houses. These beds are
enclosed by hurdles two feet high, at the bottom of which
stones are laid, and on the outside of these, thorns are
thickly placed, to exclude the moles. They fill this
enclosure to the height of eighteen inches with fresh,
coarse manure, which they press closely by beating as they
throw it on; covering with finely pulverized earth mixed
with dung of the preceding year that had become soil. They
do not regulate their time of sowing either by the moon,
month, the season, but by the holy week of the passing year;
it is on Good Friday that all of their beds are sown, and
although this day may vary nearly one month in different
years, they are fa