CULTIVATION. 61 



part of their turgescence, attained at night. Insects, 

 however, must be killed during the morning and evening ; 

 at other times, they are not easily found. Leaves which 

 are torn are not fit for cigar- wrappers, and must often be 

 thrown on the refuse heap as valueless, even if well deve- 

 loped and of good colour. 



The plants commence to ripen about three months after 

 being planted ; this is indicated by the leaves assuming a 

 marbled appearance, and a yellowish-green colour. The 

 leaves also generally become gummy, and the tips bend 

 downwards. It is considered that tobacco intended for 

 snuff should have attained more maturity than tobacco for 

 smoking. Nessler found that the less ripe leaves contained 

 more carbonate of potash, and burnt consequently better, 

 than the more ripe ones, but the total amount of potash 

 was larger in the latter than in the former ; cigars made 

 from less ripe leaves kept the fire when lighted for a 

 shorter time than those made from more ripe leaves. 



In the words of Judson Popenoe, the " tobacco is ready 

 to top when the button (as the blossom or top of the stalk 

 is called) has put out sufficiently to be taken hold of, 

 without injury to the top leaves. As tobacco is not 

 regular in coming into blossom, it is the usual practice to 

 let those stalks that blossom first, run a little beyond their 

 time of topping, and then top all that is in button as you 

 go. There is no particular height to top at, but as a 

 general thing 16 to 18 leaves are left; judgment is 

 necessary to determine where to top ; if topped too high, 

 2 or 3 of the top leaves are so small as not to amount to 

 much ; if topped low, the tobacco spreads better ; if just 

 coming out in top, reach down among the top leaves, and 



