76 MISCELLANEOUS PAPERS. 



When the plants begin to button, cultivation should stop. Early 

 or low topping is not desirable, as it throws too much growth into the 

 leaves, making them large and coarse. There should be from 11 to 

 16 leaves to the stalk after the plant is topped. At this point suckers 

 will start at each leaf, but these must be broken off at least twice a 

 week. The battle with the worms, which was begun in the seed bed, 

 does not end until the tobacco is harvested. A careful watch should 

 be maintained to keep all insects off the tobacco. 



This variety should be harvested and hung in the curing shed in 

 the same manner as the Sumatra. If it gives promise of being 

 "wrapper "—that is, if it is light green, very sound in leaf, and of 

 desirable size — it should be primed at an early stage of ripeness. If, 

 however, appearances prove that it will be "filler" tobacco, it should 

 be allowed to get thoroughly ripe. 



If the soil is rich and the season propitious, a second profitable crop 

 can be produced from the suckers in Southern localities. As soon as 

 the original crop is topped suckers will sprout from each leaf. These, 

 of course, should be broken off as soon as they appear, otherwise they 

 will check the growth of the leaf. When all the leaves have been 

 primed from the original stock, except the four or six leaves at the 

 top. two suckers should be allowed to grow from the bottom of the 

 stalk. These two suckers will be well started by the time the top leaves 

 of the original stalk are ripe. The stalk should then be cut just above 

 where the suckers sprout, and cultivation should begin at once, the soil 

 being brought up around the old stubble. The suckers should not be 

 allowed to have more than six leaves each. The growth of these will 

 be rapid and they will mature quickly. When ripe the leaves should 

 not be primed, but the stalk should be cut. It is often the case, where 

 the seasons are favorable, that the suckers will make a very fine quality 

 for filler purposo. 



The same method of curing is used for both Cuban and Sumatra 

 tobacco. 



Connecticut Havana Tobacco. 



The seed bed for this type should be prepared by plowing it in the 

 fall and sowing on a good supply of cotton-seed meal or some other 

 good fertilizer. In the spring, as soon as the frost is out of the 

 ground, the bed should be again plowed or harrowed with a cutaway 

 harrow and a small quantity of phosphate thrown broadcast upon it. 

 The bed should again be harrowed and well raked. The seed should 

 be sown about the middle of April. It is first sprouted by being put 

 in apple-tree punk or moist sand and kept in a warm room. Plants 

 should be ready for setting in the field within six or seven weeks from 

 sowing. The rows should be 3 feet 1 inches apart, and the distance 

 between the plants from 16 to 18 inches. The tobacco is topped so as 



