88-J USEFUL I'LANTS OF GUAM. 



lint" t<)l);uri) cmps. I'mtli the soil and tlic cliiiiatc oi llic island si'cin wt-il adapteil to 

 its ciiltiiri'. 



Aftrr a spot of land has ln.'eii cleared for a 'seniillero," or seed bed, the brush is 

 allowed to dry, and when the weeds liave s|irun«r up it is spread over the surface and 

 burned, tlius destroying weeds and injurious insects and larvfe, and enriching tlie 

 ground with tlie ashes. The seed is planted during the months of August and Sep- 

 tendu-r in small beds. It is sown over tlie surface of the linely pulverized ground 

 and raked in. They soon sprout and in (i>iam reiiuirc little watering. The beds are 

 carefully weeded and the seedlings are ready for transplanting in a few weeks, geu- 

 i-rally in October and November. They are then i)lanted in nurseries, in parallel 

 rows, near their ultimate destination, and are usually shaded with canopies of nmslin 

 or interlacing branches or cocoaiuit leaves. This gives the roots a chance to grow 

 without too great crowding, as would be the ca.«eif they were left to develop in the 

 seed beds. Finally, in the months of December, Jamiary, or February, they are 

 planted in the field, the time selected for this purpose being after a good rain. Care 

 is taken not to injure the roots of the young i)lants in transplanting. They nuist be 

 watered at intervals, if the rain is not sutti(;ient and must be protected from the sun 

 by segments of cocoanut leaves set in the ground at an angle and the ends of the leaflets 

 tied together so as to form a sort of cone. The natives take great care to keep their 

 fields free from weeds and go over the plants daily to destroy the larva of a sphinx 

 moth which feeds upon them. 



About one month after planting in the field the flower buds make their appearance 

 and are immediately pinched off, leaving only a few of the finest plants to tlower in 

 order to secure seed for the next season. Tobacco is so prolific that the seed from one 

 plant is sufficient to plant a field of consideral)le size. Suckers or side branches are 

 removed as fast as they appear, as the nourishment must go to developing large leaves. 

 When the leave?! are sufficiently mature the whole plant is cut off near the 1)ase, anil 

 the leaves are allowed to dry on the stem. The plants are tied in bundles and taken 

 under cover. For cutting a dry day is selected, and the plants are allowed to wither 

 before being taken under cover. In drying two or three plants are hung together, 

 the bunches being far enough apart so as to leave space for free circulation of the air. 

 When the midribs are perfectly dry the process is finished. After undergoing a 

 slight fermentation the tobacco is made up either in the form of loosely rolled cigars 

 wrapped with pineapple or agave fiber, or in bundles (" palillos") of ten leaves each. 



The use of tobacco is general among the natives, both male and female, of the 

 low'er classes, but very few ladies of the better class make use of it, and these appear 

 ashamed if seen smoking. So necessary is it to most of the people that they appear 

 to suffer as much from its lack as from a dearth of food. As a rule they prefer their 

 own tol)acco to imported kinds; but when their supply gives out they will use what 

 they can obtain from the storekeepers. On such occasions they will bring eggs or 

 chickens to give in exchange, when they refuse to sell these for moiiey. 

 Rkfekences: 



Nicotiana tabacum L. Sp. PI. 1: 180. 1753. 



Nigas (Guam), ^ee Pempliis acldula. 



Night-blooming' cestrum. See Cestrwn riortnnnmi. 



Nika ((tuani). See Dioxcorca, D. anilcutu, D. /(i^rictilola, D. fasciculatalutescens, and 

 D. j>(t])Hana. 



Nika Cimarron (CJuam) . See DIoscorea sp'mosa. 



Nimo (Guam). 



Local name of a tree mentioned in a list compiled by (iovernor Olive y (iarcia. 

 Not identified. 



