22 PROFITABLE FARMING. 



It is best to wait until a considerable numbiar of plants begin to button for 

 seed before commencing to top. Topping should be the work of experienced 

 and trusty hands — men who can top, leaving any required number of leaves on 

 a plant without counting. The secret of this — no longer a secret to the initi- 

 ated — ^is, that the topper soon learns to know that counting the bottom leaf and 

 the leaf that hangs over it in the third tier going upward, make nine leaVes, 

 including both top and bottom leaves. Fixing this in his mind, the topper has 

 only to add to or deduct from this index leaf marking nine, to leave any desired 

 number of leaves on each plant with certainty and without counting. Young 

 man, if you don't know how, get some old negro to show you. Topping, you will 

 find, is a slow business if you .have to count the leaves on all the plants topped. 

 If the plants are not "primed," then the "bottom leaf" must be fixed by the eye, 

 looking upward for the leaf in the third tier, which hangs over it, to catch the 

 cue as before. If priming is done, don't err in pulling off" too many leaves. No 

 regular rule can be given, so the planter must judge for himself. The reason 

 given for waiting until many plants are ready to be topped is mainly that more 

 plants may ripen together, and be ready for the knife at the same time. This is 

 an advantage that applies with strong force to all tobacco intended for flue curing. 



The number of leaves to be left on each plant varies according to the time 

 the work is done, early or late, the appearance and prospective development- of 

 the plant, the season, whether propitious or unfavorable, strength of the soil, and 

 amount of fertilizing material applied. On medium soils, in ordinary seasons, 

 the first topping should be from ten to thirteen leaves^ — rarely more — for brights. 

 For sweet fillers from nine to ten, and for dark, rich shipping, from eight to nine 

 leaves are enough. As the season advances reduce the number of leaves accord- 

 ingly, remembering that quality, more than quantity, regulates returns. 



This Illustrates a field of tobacco undergoing the laying-by process, the final worli of "scranine nn " 

 and topping, as this latter worli was formerly done when both operations wei e performed togetl^r and bv 

 the same " hands," i. e., laborers. Now the "hoe-hands " only perform the hoe work, and toppina is done 

 by the most expert on the farm in executing this important work. The toppers now never carry a hoe iu 

 their hands, but go right along the rows, carrying two at a time, pinching out the buds in thenrocess of 

 topping with both hands. *^ 



Many devices have been resorted to in. order to lessen the number and miti- 

 gate the ravages of the horn-worm, but the lack of general and continued efforts 



