332 USEFUL PLANTS OF GUAM. 
fine tobacco crops. Both the soil and the climate of the island seem well adapted to 
its culture. 
After a spot of land has been cleared for a ‘‘semillero,’ 
wlowed to dry, and when the weeds have sprung up it is spread over the surface and 
burned, thus destroying weeds and injurious insects and larve, and enriching the 
ground with the ashes. The seed is planted during the months of August and Sep- 
tember in small beds. It is sown over the surface of the finely pulverized ground 
and raked in. They soon sprout and in Guam require little watering. The beds are 
carefully weeded and the seedlings are ready for transplanting in a few weeks, gen- 
erally in October and November. They are then planted in nurseries, in parallel! 
rows, near their ultimate destination, and are usually shaded with canopies of muslin 
or interlacing branches or cocoanut leaves. This gives the roots a chance to grow 
without too great crowding, as would be the case if they were left to develop in the 
seed beds. Finally, in the months of December, January, or February, they are 
planted in the field, the time selected for this purpose being after a good rain. Care 
is taken not to injure the roots of the young plants in transplanting. They must be 
watered at intervals, if the rain is not suflicient and must be protected from the sun 
by segments of cocoanut leaves set in the ground at an angle and the ends of the leaflets 
tied together so as to form a sort of cone. The natives take great care to keep their 
fields free from weeds and go over the plants daily to destroy the larva of a sphinx 
moth which feeds upon them. 
About one month after planting in the field the flower buds make their appearance 
and are immediately pinched off, leaving only a few of the finest plants to flower in 
order to secure seed for the next season. Tobacco is so prolific that the seed from one 
plant is sufficient to plant a field of considerable size. Suckers or side branches are 
removed as fast as they appear, as the nourishment must go to developing large leaves. 
When the leaves are sufficiently mature the whole plant is cut off near the base, and 
the leaves are allowed to dry on the stem. The plants are tied in bundles and taken 
under cover, For cutting a dry day is selected, and the plants are allowed to wither 
before being taken under cover. In drying two or three plants are hung together, 
the bunches being far enough apart so as to leave space for free circulation of the air. 
When the midribs are perfectly dry the process is finished. After undergoing a 
slight fermentation the tobacco is made up either in the form of loosely rolled cigars 
wrapped with pineapple or agave fiber, or in bundles (‘ palillos’’) of ten leaves each. 
The use of tobacco is general among the natives, both male and female, of the 
lower classes, but very few ladies of the better class make use of it, and these appear 
ashamed if seen smoking. So necessary is it to most of the people that they appear 
to suffer as much from its lack as from a dearth of food. As a rule they prefer their 
r 
> or seed bed, the brush is 
own tobacco to imported kinds; but when their supply gives out they will use what 
they can obtain from the storekeepers. On such occasions they will bring eggs or 
chickens to give in exchange, when they refuse to sell these for money. 
REFERENCES: 
Nicotiana tabacum L. Sp. Pl. 1: 180. 1753. 
Nigas (Guam). See Pemphis acidulu. 
Night-blooming cestrum. See Cestrm nocturnum. 
Nika (Guam). See Dioscorea, D, aculeata, D. fasciculata, D. fasciculata lutescens, and 
D. papuana. 
Nika cimarron ((iuam). See Dioscorea spinosa, 
Nimo (Guam). 
Local name of a tree mentioned in a list compiled by Governor Olive y Garcia. 
Not identified. 
