HARVESTING THE CROP. 13 
120 pounds. On most soils about 300 pounds of lime in addition is | 
beneficial. The heavier the texture of the soil the smaller is the 
quantity of potash needed. 
The plants should be set in rows 3 feet apart and from 12 to 14 
inches in the row. To set them farther apart than this, especially in 
the row, makes the tobacco grow so large and heavy that its quality 
is injured, although the quantity may be slightly increased. 
Three or four days after the plants have been set out, the field 
should be looked over carefully and fresh plants set in where any have 
died or are missing. A perfect stand of plants is an essential require- 
ment for a bountiful crop of tobacco of good quality. 
CULTIVATING THE SOIL. 
Not more than one week after the plants have been set out the soil 
between the rows should be cultivated with a horse cultivator and 
the soil around the plants loosened up with a hand hoe. If this hand 
hoeing is thoroughly done the operation will not necessarily have to 
be repeated, and further cultivation by the use of the horse hoe (see 
Pl. I, fig. 2) will be sufficient for the crop. 
The land should be stirred as often as once a week, provided the 
weather conditions do not prevent it. The cultivation should be con- 
tinued up to topping time, and afterwards if the tobacco has not 
gained sufficient size to make it impossible to go between the rows 
with a team without injuring the leaves. 
TOPPING AND SUCKERING THE PLANTS. 
As the bud appears and just before the flowers open, it should be 
taken off. As some of the buds will appear before others it will per- 
haps be necessary to go over the field several times before all of the 
plants are topped. After topping, the field may rest until after the 
first priming is made and then the four top suckers should be broken 
off. This gives to the second priming a body which greatly improves 
it. This is all of the suckering that should be done, for the taking off 
of more suckers or the lower topping of the plants makes the tobacco - 
too heavy and coarse for the purpose for which it is intended. 
HARVESTING THE CROP. 
The time to harvest shade tobacco is when the leaves are fully 
developed. There is a slight change in color as the tobacco reaches 
maturity, but it is not safe to allow the leaves to remain on the stalk 
until this change of color is noticeable to the inexperienced observer, 
for then they are likely to be too ripe. The best method to follow, 
and the one which will err in the right direction, is to make the first 
priming about ten days after topping and the second about ten days 
later. (See Pl. ITI, fig. 1, showing a field with the second priming 
138 
