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Cutting the Plant. — ^Figure 14 represents harvesting the 

 plant. 



FlGlBF, 14. 



There are two methods of harvesting, cutting down the 

 whole plant or gathering the leaves singly. The former 

 is the one that has been practiced for a long time by to- 

 bacco planters; the latter, which is of recent origin, is re- 

 gardedjby many as the most ^cientilic method. 



Both these plans of gathering have their advantages. 

 The first is the easiest and permits of quicker handling, 

 but the leaves have to be assorted afterwards, while the 

 latter permits the sorting of the leaves in the first opera- 

 tion, and the development of a greater number of mature 

 leaves. 



For cutting, a heavy knife is used, and the method is 

 similar to cutting sugar cane, the plant being held with 

 the left hand and cut close to the ground. 



The plants should be removed to a shad}' place to [»re- 

 vent their becoming sunburnt. 



