‘CHESTER JERMA‘'!) HUN) 
TOBACCO CULTURE IN THE WEST INDIES 15 
mark those with the most desirable leaves which should 
be left untopped. After the flower buds appear and before 
the flowers expand paper sacks should be tied over these 
untopped plants to prevent insects from entering the flow- 
ers. The paper sacks should be adjusted every few days 
to allow room for the flowers to develop. 
Besides the difference in the seed from the different 
plants there is also a difference in the seed from the same 
plant. Those from the largest and well ripened pods are very 
superior and when separating the seeds from the capsules 
two grades may be had by shaking out all of the seeds that 
fall out readily, which are always larger and better ripen- 
ed than those that adhere closely. It is also well to cut 
off and thown away all the smaller pods and the imperfect- 
ly developed ones of the lower cluster. A good clean seed 
will run about five million to the pound and it will take 
from forty to fifty plants to produce that amount. A clean 
seed can be kept without deteriorating as well as one con- 
taining chaff, by drying it thoroughly anid filling into tin 
cans — kerosene cans are very good —which should then 
be soldered up and kept in a cool place until seeding time. 
Seed cleaning machines can now be obtained and it is 
well recognized that the use of first class clean seed is one 
of the necessary steps to improved cultivation. 
THE SEED BED 
At the present time the tobacco seedlings are far too 
expensive, no matter if home-grown or bought. The prim- 
itive method of making seed-beds on newly cleared and 
burned-over land is antedated; it gave better results than 
