24 TOBACCO CULTURE IN THE WEST INDIES 
inch staple, after which stretch two more wires crossing 
the first ones in different directions immediately on top 
of each post. These last wires should also be stapled which 
leaves each post secured by eight guy wires in as many dif- 
ferent directions. Such a shed will stand almost any storm. 
In putting on the cloth, draw it along the top of the 
wires, piece by piece, like a rope, but be careful to keep 
all the twists out of it. Sew the edges together with an 
ordinary cotton twine, using it double with a herring-bone 
stitch about three inches long. As the cloth is 200 inches 
wide it reaches from wire to wire and in sewing, the wire 
should be inclosed in the seam and the cloth in this way 
secured to the wire. The cloth is taken down at the end of 
each season and with care can be used for three seasons. 
After covering the top the 1X6 inch pieces are nailed on to 
the posts close to the ground and the sides of the shed also 
covered with cloth. 
In the filler section cloth wind-brakes are often placed 
around parts of the fields to protect the plants from wind 
or dust if it is close to a road. 
IRRIGATION 
With intensive culture and especially with a high pric- 
ed crop like tobacco irrigation is usually a paying invest- 
ment. In the West Indies most of the water used for irri- 
gation is obtained by pumping the underground water 
into tanks located high enough in relation to the field so that 
the water will flow to any desired point by gravitation. 
For driving power, wind mills may be used as the wind 
velocity is usually sufficient but as the capacity is limited, 
gasoline or alcohol engines are more practicable. An aver- 
