He had not, however abandoned the
idea; and about two months before the marriage of Terence and Sarah
he had planted some tobacco, which was, upon their return from
Buenos Ayres, ready to be picked.
The culture of tobacco requires considerable care. The ground is
first prepared with great care, and is well and thoroughly manured;
but this was not required in the present case, as the rich virgin
soil needed no artificial aid. It is then dug in beds something
like asparagus beds, about two feet wide, with a deep trench
between each. The seeds are raised in a seed-bed, and when nine or
ten inches high they are taken up and carefully transplanted into
the beds, two rows being placed in each, and the plants being a
foot apart.
There are various methods of cultivation, but this was the one
adopted by Mr. Hardy. The plants grew rapidly, the ground between
them being occasionally hoed, and kept free from weeds. When they
were four feet high the tops were nipped off, and any leaves which
showed signs of disease were removed. Each stem had from eight to
ten leaves. When the leaves began to turn rather yellow, Mr. Hardy
announced that the time for cutting had arrived, and one morning
all hands were mustered to the work. It consisted merely in cutting
the stems at a level with the earth, and laying the plants down
gently upon the ground.
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