74 MATURING OF SEEDS. 



other countries the experiment has been made to acclimate 

 foreign seeds, for instance, Havana, by crossing, respectively 

 changing the sexes and giving the male influence now to the 

 foreign, then to the home plant." 



In the Connecticut valley the cultivation of Havana tobacco 

 is increasing year by year, and it promises to become the 

 principal variety cultivated. All of the leading qualities of 

 Connecticut seed leaf, such as color, strength, and texture, 

 are preserved, while the flavor is as fine as that of much that 

 is imported. The plants selected for seed should be allowed 

 to fully ripen, when the leaves may be stripped from the 

 stalks, that the capsules may receive all the strength of the 

 growing and maturing plants. The seed plants should be 

 left standing some six or eight weeks after the other plants 

 have been harvested. If the nights are very cold and frosty, 

 the top of the plants may be covered with a light cloth or 

 paper to protect the seed buds. 



When the capsules are of full size and brown in color, the 

 top may be broken off and hung up in a dry, cool place to 

 cure, after which the seeds should be taken from the capsules. 

 To do this, the end of the seed buds may be cut, when most 

 of the seeds will fall out if the buds are fully ripe and dry. 

 A southern planter gives the following account of the curing 

 and management of seed plants : 



" There are four classes of tobacco grown in Virginia and 

 North Carolina, viz.: Shipping, filling, smoking, and wrap- 

 ping ; and it is important that planters desiring to raise either 

 one of these should choose the kind of seed best adapted to 

 each particular class. The Pry or makes the heaviest, richest 

 shipping, and can only be grown to perfection on alluvial or 

 heavily manured lands. The Frederick or Maryland grows 

 larger, but is not so rich and waxy. The Oronoko is far 

 preferable for fillers, smokers or wrappers, being sweeter in 

 flavor, finer in fibre and texture, and more easily cured 

 yellow. This is the kind best adapted to our gray soils, 

 giving best returns. The product is not so large as on black 

 or brown lands, yet with skill in curing and management, 

 the difference in product is more than made up in quality. 



" The Oronoko, therefore, is the only kind suited to our 

 gray lands, and of this there are several varieties, the two 



