498 FIELD CROPS 



to be uniform and typical of the variety or type which is 

 being grown. The market value of the crop can be materially 

 increased by care in the selection of the seed plants. As 

 soon as the flower stalks appear, but before any flowers open, 

 the head should be covered with a 12-pound manila paper 

 bag, for experiments have shown that self-fertilized seed 

 produces much more uniform plants than that which is open- 

 fertilized. After a few days, the bag is taken off tempo- 

 rarily and all superfluous leaves and blossoms removed, 

 leaving from forty to eighty seed pods. It is then put back, 

 and taken off at intervals of a few days to remove new flower 

 buds which may have formed. After three or four weeks, 

 the bag is taken off permanently, care still being given to 

 remove all flower buds which develop afterwards. When 

 the pods turn brown, the stem is cut off and hung in a dry, 

 airy place for curing. The seed should be stored in a dry 

 place where it will be safe from the attacks of mice and 

 insects, for on it depends in large measure the value of the 

 succeeding crop. 



651. Harvesting the Crop. Two methods of harvesting 

 tobacco are in common use. Where cigar-leaf tobacco is 

 grown, the leaves are commonly " primed;" i. e., the lower 

 leaves, which always mature first, are first removed, and the 

 others taken off as they ripen. Other grades of tobacco are 

 commonly harvested by cutting the entire plant with a corn 

 knife or a special knife devised for the purpose. The 

 proper stage of ripeness is indicated by a slight yellowing of 

 the leaves and by several other tests known to the grower, 

 such as the "feel" of the leaves and the brittleness of the 

 veins. The plants are usually ready to harvest about a 

 month after topping. 



Where the leaves are cut singly, they are strung on 

 laths, which pierce them near the base, thirty to forty leaves 



