62 TOBACCO. 



■with thumb and forefinger pinch the top or button off 

 below 2 or 3 leaves ; if well out in top, break off several 

 inches down from the button and 4 or 5 leaves below it. 

 As soon as the tobacco is topped, the suckers begin to grow ; 

 one shoots out from the stalk at the root of each leaf, on 

 the upper side. When the top suckers are 3-4 inches long, 

 the suckering should be done ; with the right hand take 

 hold of the top sucker, with the left take hold of the next, 

 close to the stalk, and break them off, and so proceed, 

 using both hands, stooping over the stalk, taking care not 

 to injure the leaf. Break the suckers about half-way 

 down the stalk, the balance being too short to need re- 

 moving until the second suckering. In about 2 weeks 

 from topping, the tobacco is ready to cut ; now give it the 

 last worming and suckering, breaking all suckers off down 

 to the ground, and remove every worm, if you don't want 

 your tobacco eaten in the sheds." 



Another process, called " priming " by Schneider, is thus 

 described by him. " The object of priming is to break off 

 the leaves that come out too near the ground, which, 

 when large, lie fiat on it, and therefore rot or get dirty. 

 This work should be done early, the sooner the better, so 

 that the plant does not lose much strength by their 

 growing. These leaves must not be torn off, especially not 

 downward, because the plant would be injured, and instead 

 of throwing the strength gained into the other leaves, it 

 would be thrown away to heal the wound. The distance 

 from the ground at which this priming should be dene, 

 depends upon the variety grown and upon the time at 

 which the work is done : 4-6 inches is the right distance. 

 This priming is not done by every one. One farmer may 



