TURKS CULTIVATING TOBACCO. 369 



April. In Canara, tobacco is generally grown in elevated 

 situations. The seed is sown in August, and the seedlings 

 are transplanted in November, the crop arriving at maturity 

 in three or four months. North Canara derives its supply 

 chiefly from Mysore, the leaf produced in that province being 

 said to be less liable to affect the head than that of the 

 Canara plant." 



The Turk and his family love to cultivate tobacco as well 

 as to smoke it ; and give it their attention from seed-sowing 

 until it is sold to the merchant. The Turk is very particular 

 in cultivating it, as on its color depends in a great measure 

 its value. He commences work on his plant-bed in March, 

 sowing the seed about the same time as the Virginia planters. 

 After the leaves are gathered the same scrupulous care is 

 taken with them ; especially in drying and baling, that the 

 leaf may be in just the right condition to ferment properly, 

 and be ready to be assorted by the " tobacco pickers." The 

 Turk presses his whole family into the cultivation of the 

 plants. The children are engaged in weeding while he 

 waters the beds or prepares the tobacco field for the planting 

 of the tobacco. In pruning and picking the leaves he 

 removes only those that are small the removal of which will 

 still further advance the growth of the plants, and is careful 

 to gather only those leaves that are turning yellow, giving 

 evidence of their maturity. Says one in regard to the culti- 

 vation of tobacco in Turkey : 



" The Turk and his family, it will seem, have now been 

 occupied upon their tobacco crop for nearly a whole year. 

 The leaf is just becoming a bright light yellow when it falls 

 into the hands of the merchant, and it is during this period 

 that the process of fermentation or heating generally occurs, 

 before which the tobacco can not be shipped. The bales 

 having been placed in the merchant's store, are left end up 

 until a fermentation or baking has taken place, the ends being 

 reversed every three or four days. In the course of a few 

 weeks a bale is reduced to about two-thirds of its original 

 size. It is then placed upon its sides to cool. When it is 

 discovered to be cold it is broken open by the native tobacco- 

 pickers, and every leaf sorted and classified. The patience 

 with which this operation is carried out is truly astonishing. 

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