10 



the small top leaves, blossom and seed into the larger leaves 

 left on the stalk. These are usually from 18 to 22 in number. 

 After the field is topped it presents a very even appearance. 

 In a week or ten days after "topping" suckers will appear, 

 starting from the base of the three or four top leaves. These 

 are picked off, or the plant is "top suckered." After these top 

 suckers are taken off the leaves further down the stalk will 

 begin to throw out suckers, and these in turn must be picked 

 off. Usually when the bottom suckers are grown or are big 

 enough to take off the plant will be nearly or quite ripe and 

 ready to harvest. This will be about three weeks from "top- 

 ping." The crop should be allowed to get ripe, a condition 

 which is shown by the plant having a slightly wilted appear- 

 ance, especially on the bottom leaves. Light green blotches will 

 also show all over the top leaves. There can be no doubt that 

 some crops are cut too green, the result being a dark-colored 

 crop that will not bring the best prices. 



Harvesting. 

 There are three methods of harvesting in vogue in the 

 valley to-day. The first two to be described have been in 

 practice for years; the third is a new method that is gaining 

 in favor each year. The first is "hanging on lath." The 

 plants are cut close to the ground with a thin-bladed hatchet 

 made for the purpose. They are then laid down lengthwise 

 of the row^ and overlapping each other; after lying in the sun 

 long enough to wilt they are picked up and handed to the 

 "stringer" who strings them on a lath. These laths are sim- 

 ilar to builders' laths, being sawed a little thicker and from 

 better lumber. One end is placed in a "stringing horse" and 

 the other end is fitted to a steel needle. The plant is then 

 strung on the lath by forcing the needle through the butt of 

 the stalk about 6 or S inches from the end, 5 or 6 plants 

 being strung on a lath. The full lath is either laid on the ground 

 and later picked up, or handed directly to a wagon fitted with 

 a rack made for the purpose. It is then drawn to the curing 

 shed and hung on poles, arranged so that each end of the lath 

 rests on a pole, allowing the tobacco to hang downward. Poles 

 are usually 15 feet long and from 25 to 30 laths are hung on a 



