242 TOBACCO 



In the higher uplands of Blantyre (3,000 ft.) tobacco is 

 planted from late November to the middle of January; 

 later planting is not a success. In South-east Mlanje, 

 however, at an elevation of 1,000 ft. to 1,500 ft. and with 

 heavier rainfall, the most successful plantings are obtained 

 in February and March. It is evident, therefore, that 

 local conditions, ascertained by experiment, alone deter- 

 mine the planting season for any given locality, and in 

 this respect tobacco is extremely particular. 



Field Management. 



Prior to planting out, the land is made into low ridges 

 or small hills 3 ft. apart and the necessary surface drains 

 cut. 



Every opportunity is taken to replace as expeditiously 

 as possible seedlings which do not take root or become 

 destroyed by cut worms, and care should be 'exercised to 

 avoid breaking the roots of the seedlings; this is best 

 assured by saturating the nurseries prior to removing the 

 young plants. 



An ordinary planting requires at Least 10 to 15 per cent, 

 of supplies, and a day of bright sunshine immediately after 

 transplanting may necessitate as high as 75 per cent, of 

 supplies. 



After the young plants are established they require 

 frequent shallow hoeing, gradually working the soil 

 to the base of the stem, and continual destruction of leaf 

 caterpillars, stem^borers, etc. Until the crop is half- 

 grown plants which show signs of " Frenching " must 

 be replaced, whilst from the time the plants are half- 

 grown until they reach full size, such operations as 

 suckering, budding, and removal of ground leaves 

 (priming) require daily attention. 



The labour entailed in the cultivation of tobacco is at 

 least double that needed for crops such as cotton or 

 coffee, and where all work is done by the hoe, as on 

 most Nyasaland estates, a permanent staff of labourers 

 approximating two men per acre is required to cultivate 

 thoroughly and harvest the crop. 



The period for which the crop occupies the land largely 



