68 STUDIES IN INDIAN TOBACCOS. 



It will be best to consider these points in the order of their 

 economic importance : — 



(1) Differences in the le)iyth.s of the successive internodes. 

 As regards this point, the 51 types can be arranged in an almost 

 perfect series, the two extremes being represented by types XIX 

 and LI. In types such as XIX the internodes are exceeding^ 

 short and the large leaves are borne so low down that most of 

 them he on the ground. In other forms the lowest internodes are 

 short, but the succeeding internodes elongate graduall3^ In such 

 cases many of the large leaves are borne near the ground, but a 

 few moderate-sized ones are borne up the stem (see types V, X, 

 XI, and XII). The plants in group II, class B, (b) (types 

 XXXI, XXXII, XXXIII, and others) deserve special mention, 

 for althouo-h they fall into this habit class, in their case the very 

 short lower internodes are followed immediately by very long 

 internodes, and this gives the group a characteristic appearance. 

 Following on the cases in which the lowest internodes are short 

 and the upper ones elongate gradually, we come to forms in which 

 all the internodes are of equal length and the leaves are therefore 

 borne at regular intervals up the stem. In such forms the only 

 leaves lying on the ground are the two or three earliest fornned 

 leaves w^hich are generally slightly different in shape to the rest. 

 Good examples of this are types XVII, XLIII, and LI. The 

 heio-ht of the plants is closely connected with the length of the 

 internodes and varied in the 1909 crop from 78 cms. (type VII) 

 to 188 cms. (type XXXIII). The actual height of a type in 

 any year will, of course, vary with the conditions of nutrition 



and season. 



The economic importance of the above differences in habit is 

 very great, for in types such as XIX in which all the leaves are in 

 contact with the soil for the whole or part of their length, the value 

 of the cured product will be much depreciated by the dust and dirt 

 which unavoidably clings to the leaves. Such leaves are also very 

 liable to get damaged and torn, and surface cultivation is rendered 

 difficult. In tall forms such as LI where the leaves are borne up 

 the stem, the leaves are very liable to be torn by the wind, 



