166 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



Mr. Cook (of Hadley). If we grew this small tobacco, 

 wouldn't it obviate some of the trouble in the sweat ? Would 

 it be as liable to sweat? 



Dr. Jenkins. I do not know how it would be in that 

 respect. 



Mr. Cook. On the pole, I had reference to. 



Dr. Jenkins. Well, I think it would not be so apt to 

 full up and stop the circulation of air, if the leaf was smaller. 



Mr. Parsons (of Northampton). I would like to ask the 

 doctor how we can tell when tobacco is just ripe. 



Dr. Jenkins. It is like making bread. You can't give 

 rules. It is a matter of judgment, and has to be instinctive. 

 A tobacco grower knows when a leaf is ripe, but he can't 

 tell you how he knows. It is the old time method to pinch 

 the leaf and see if it will crack. That doesn't work in Su- 

 matra. I have seen Sumatra in the morning that was lush 

 and full of water, that would crack beautifully when it wasn't 

 ripe. When it is ripe there is apt to be a very slight yel- 

 lowing on the tip or near the tip, on the edge of the leaf. 

 The leaf is a little puckering or drawn, the surface not as 

 smooth as before and shades off in color, and here and there 

 on the surface of the leaf you can see little dark spots, dark- 

 green places, not uniform green, but mottled, although on 

 Sumatra we don't see it distinctly. On the domestic leaf 

 the yellow mottles are more significant of the dead-ripe 

 leaf. 



Mr. Cook. I meant the domestic leaf, raised out of 

 doors. 



Dr. Jenkins. On that we think the cracking of the leaf 

 is a sign more characteristic than in Sumatra. There we 

 have these yellowish-green blotches on the lining of the leaf 

 in places. That is a pretty sure sign of full ripeness. 



Afternoon Session. 



The meeting was called to order at 2 o'clock by First 

 Vice-President Sessions, who said : Doubtless you are all 

 aware that the business of dairying is a most important 

 branch of agriculture in Massachusetts, as perhaps it is in 

 most other States of the Union, and you who have had ex- 



