66 TOBACCO PRODUCTION IN THE UNITED STATES. 



A third cultivation follows. The turn-plow is again used in the same direction as at first, but the soil is iiow 

 thrown toward the plant row. Three or more furrows are run in each row, so as to break up the entire middle and 

 leave it loose and tine, easily penetrated by the extending roots of the plants. This plowing is sometimes followed 

 by the hand hoes, which bring up a small quantity of tine soil around the plant; but this work is rarely done 

 unless the hills become foul with weeds or grass. Long-continued cultivation, especially in the production of 

 heavy types of tobacco, gives profitable results, both in quantity and in quality. The hoe is used at intervals, as 

 needed, to secure perfectly clean culture of the entire surface, and plowing is continued until the attention of the 

 whole force of laborers is required in other pressing demands of the crop, even to seven plowings, if size of 

 plants and the season permit. Priming and topping must be promptly done as soon as the plants are large enough. 

 If this is neglected beyond the proper time, narrowness and shortness of leaf and thinness of texture are the 

 consequences. As soon as any number of the plants have become large enough the laborers go over the field and 

 top them. The first part of this work is the priming breaking off the lower leaves so as to leave the stalk bare 

 for 6 or 8 inches above the surface of the hill. 



Practices and opinions vary as to priming. Those who favor high priming claim thai, the lower leaves, being farther 

 removed from the ground, do not become so much injured, and there is therefore a smaller proportion of low grade 

 in the product. On the other hand, it is urged that the removal of several lower leaves delays maturity, and that 

 the upper leaves, which are always the best, are lighter and less oily, without compensation in the quality of the 

 lower leaves. 



Much the larger number of tobacco-growers maintain that low or moderate priming gives best results in the 

 quality of the middle and upper leaves; that the loss, because of damage to the under leaves, is more than offset 

 by the greater weight and fatness of leaves grown as closely as may be to the sources of nourishment. 



A third class of farmers do not prime at all, and give as reasons for their practice that the loss of vitality 

 occasioned by "bleeding" is avoided; that the ground leaves protect those above, so that a larger number of 

 sound, clean leaves are grown upon each plant; that a greater weight of product is obtained ; and that the close 

 shading of the soil keeps it moist and in better condition to sustain growth. The objections urged to this method 

 are that the lower leaves afford concealment to the worms ; that these leaves are most likely to be neglected in 

 worming; that the close covering and shading of the soil prevents access of sun and air; that in wet seasons 

 evaporation is checked; and that there is frequent loss by field-fire and kindred diseases. 



The plant is topped by breaking out the terminal bud. An experienced man performs this operation very rapidly, 

 leaving the desired number of leaves without counting. If eight or twelve are to be left, the top leaves are found 

 at right angles to the lower pair; if ten are to remain, the top pair is in line directly over the bottom ones. The 

 quality of the product as to weight and oiliness depends in a great measure upon the number of leaves left upon 

 the plant. The general practice in the heavy tobacco districts is to top low, and the larger number of planters 

 adopt a standard often leaves in the first toppings. A few farmers claim that more weight of higher quality is 

 made by topping at eight leaves ; but if the soil is rich and strong ten leaves will develop well and mature into good 

 quality, and this has been deemed the most economic standard for topping. 



The maturity of the plant is hastened or retarded as one or another standard of priming and topping is adopted. 

 On strong, rich lands the first plants which "come into tops", especially if they should be few in number, are primed 

 rather high and topped at twelve leaves, thus delaying maturity, so that they may ripen at the same time with the 

 second topping, which is done as soon as a sufficient number of plants are large enough, at ten leaves, with somewhat 

 lower priming, to hasten maturity. The toppings are continued at ten leaves, with lower priming, at successive 

 periods, until late in July or early in August, when only eight are left, the object being to hasten maturity, 

 so that the plant may ripen before the date of probable frost. The standard for both priming and topping is 

 gradually reduced as the season advances, until the latest plants may be topped at four or five leaves without 

 priming at all, each plant being treated according to its individual development and promise. 



Upon the removal of the terminal bud, or "button", the top leaves, which were very diminutive, are forced 

 into very rapid growth. The plant makes vigorous efforts to reproduce itself, throwing out branches from the 

 axils of the upper leaves. These branches, or suckers, are pinched out before making a growth of more than 2 or 

 3 inches, and are never suffered to remain longer than absolute necessity compels. Usually suckers appear in 

 succession, first at the top of the plant, and then leaf by leaf at the axil of each, until the final effort of the plant is 

 made by throwing up one or more branches from the base of the stalk. If "suckering" is promptly attended to, much 

 of the tedious and often unsuccessful.searching for worms is avoided, these branches being an excellent hiding-place 

 for the horn-worm, as well as for other insect enemies. The utmost vigilance is necessary to prevent the dwarfing 

 of the crop leaves by the growth of neglected suckers and to save them from mutilation by the worms, and great 

 care is enjoined upon the laborers not to break the stems or tear the leaves. Careless topping frequently injures 

 the tender top leaves, a very slight damage to which manifests itself later in a torn, jagged, or misshapen 

 appearance. Rough handling of the growing plant does not always betray itself until the expanded leaves 

 magnify trifling injuries into serious blemishes. The keenest and closest supervision is therefore necessary, 

 especially when, as is often the case, transient labor, inexperienced and careless, must be employed. 



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