[ 42' ] 



begins in the beginning of Aswin (the 3rd week of Septem- 

 ber), and extends as late as the end of Kartick (middle of 

 November). Early planting is preferable, especially for dry 

 climates. The seedlings should be planted in the evening 

 3 feet apart from one another. Smaller varieties, as Hingli, 

 Motihari, &c , may be conveniently planted 2 feet apart. 

 The transplanted young seedlings are to be carefully watered 

 for the first few days until they strike root. Irrigation may 

 be afterwards necessary at- intervals of about 10 to 20 days 

 according to the nature of the soil. In Rangpur and Jalpai- 

 guri a hand-plough is repeatedly dragged by a man alternate- 

 ly along and across the tobacco fields, which serves the 

 purpose of hoeing and stirring the soil. This is done until 

 the flower buds are seen. In places where artificial irrigation 

 is required, regular hoeing is wanted once after each irri- 

 gation, or twice a month. 



641. After-treatment. A few days before the plants run 

 to flower, their buds and lower leaves should be nipped off, 

 and they should be so pruned that only eight leaves, and on 

 no account more than ten, may be left to each plant from the 

 top. In Jalpaiguri finely powdered earth is used to stop 

 bleeding or overflowing of sap from the broken parts imme- 

 diately after pruning. This mode should be followed in other 

 districts. Plants reserved for seeding should not be topped 

 in this way, but left to flower and seed. The plants always 

 bring forth shoots by the side of the stalks of leaves pruned, 

 and care should be taken to prune off the shoots every now 

 and again until the leaves are mature. The longer these 

 buds and shoots are kept, the more injury is done to the 

 leaves required to be gathered. 



642. Harvesting. When the leaves feel thick and gummy, 

 and begin to turn yellow with brown spots, they are consider- 

 ed mature and they should be cut off. Tobacco should not 

 be cut overripe. Harvesting of a plot should not be done 

 at once : the mature plants are to be gathered first. The 



