State Agricultural Society. 493 



during the process of curing — is more tractablo under manipulation in 

 passing to any desired set of shades. 



It is not easy to describe the stage of maturity at which tobaccos, 

 intended for the cigar maker's market, may be most advantageously cut. 

 Where it has grown very freely it will be quite ready for cutting about 

 three weeks after the seed stalks have begun to branch. If it has 

 grown more slowly, the maturity of the leaves may be relatively in 

 advance of that of the seed stalk. The nearest I can come to formulat- 

 ing a general working rule for thrifty plants is this: break out the seed 

 stalk at the point of branching when the seeds become fully formed in 

 their pods, and sucker the plants if they then require it. Suckers will 

 start in a few days. Break them out before they have grown so strong 

 as to render the operation one of difficulty. Soon a fresh lot will start. 

 Cut the plant before these shall have grown large enough to interfere 

 with the main leaves in piling and hanging for curing. The old planter 

 recognizes the ripeness of his plants for cutting by a solid granulated 

 appearance of the under side of its leaves, together with their general 

 strength and firmness of texture. It is desirable to cut Havana plants 

 as soon as they become really ripe for it, both because the best quality 

 of tobacco will result, and because a heavier growth will be secured to 

 the second and third cuttings that are yet to be made. At the same 

 time, it will not do to cut too soon, or the leaves will cure up, and be defi- 

 cient in weight. Although such of them as grade into cigar wrappers 

 will thus, in working up, go much further to the pound weight, and are, 

 for that reason, intrinsically worth more money, yet, in practice, the 

 manufacturer, and not the grower, will secure the benefit of that advan- 

 tage. A score or so of the thriftiest plants will be selected to save seed 

 from — those that have grown and developed most rapidly and finelj r — 

 and these are not to be topped. From the time these begin to show 

 brown seeds in the pods, examine minutely the condition and develop- 

 ment of all their leaves — the texture, color, appearance, and every dis- 

 cernible quality. At the time the seeds in all the pods are generally 

 brown, the condition and development of the plant may be accepted as 

 the standard for the cutting of cigar tobaccos, and, this condition once 

 learned, the planter will be able, thereafter, to select plants, as they 

 attain this stage, and mark them for cutting. 



SECURING SEED. 



To secure seed, break out the lateral pod branches of the selected 

 plants, leaving only the central standard to mature seeds. When the 

 pods have become brown, break this off, and hang in a secure place out 

 of the reach of mice. Later, at convenience, rub the pods out in a fine 

 sieve. It is, probably, best to secure a supply of seed for four or 

 five years' planting from the first crop of plants, if fine. 



The expense of the operations of topping and suckering is included 

 in the estimated cost of " cultivating," as given last month, at one dol- 

 lar per thousand plants — an estimate rather in excess of the figure that 

 ought to be realized in practice. 



THE RACKS FOR CURING. 



At about this juncture opportunity will be found for making the racks 

 on which to hang the plants during the process of curing, to be 

 described in the next paper of this series. Kacks to bo Bet up in the 



