27 



to tlie young plants shortly before the shade planks are taken off, and 

 it is only given to those plants which seem yellow and weak. In 

 applying the liquid a small ditch is made about 2 inches wide around 

 the plants and li inches deep, and a quantity of the mixture poured 

 in. After the mixture has soaked in, the ditch is covered with the soil 

 that was taken out. It is very desirable to apply this mixture immedi- 

 ately before a rain. It is necessary for the European assistant to see 

 that the coolie does this work i^roperly and that the fertilizer is not 

 applied too near the roots, as it is then liable to seriously injure the 

 plant. When used dry the fertilizer is scattered broadcast at the time 

 the field is planted. Besides guano, boenkil is frequently used in the 

 same way. This is a fertilizer made in cakes, and consists mainly of 

 cotton -seed meal. Horse and cow manure is also used to some extent, 

 but the quantity available is not large enough to be of any particular 

 account. 



TOPPING AND RIPENING. 



When the plant has been about forty or fifty days in the field the 

 flower buds begin to come out and are pinched off, just as in the United 

 States. The appearance and vitality of the plant determines how 

 much shall be pinched off in the topping. It is usual to leave from 15 

 to 18 leaves, but in some extraordinary cases as many as 24 leaves are 

 left on. After the plants are topped suckers come out in great quanti- 

 ties and the coolie has to keep them broken off. This is usually done 

 in the morning. 



If the topping has been done at the proper time the tobacco is usually 

 ripe and fit to be cut about three weeks later. No definite and posi- 

 tive rule can be given which will indicate the ripening of the plant, and, 

 in fact, there are various opinions upon this matter. The tobacco when 

 ripe has a yellowish appearance, the leaves, especially the inside ones, 

 have little light brown lumps and take on a somewhat swollen appear- 

 ance, while the edges commence to curl up toward the underside and 

 assume a dark brown color. The time from transplanting to harvesting 

 in Deli is from 70 to 90 days. 



WORMING. 



One of the most important features of the work with tobacco in Deli 

 is the worming. Here, as elsewhere, the plants are troubled a great 

 deal with these pests. From the beginning of the planting until the 

 tobacco goes into the barns or sheds the coolie has to look for worms. 

 He usually does this early in the morning or at night when there is 

 moonlight. No poisons are used, but the worms are caught by hand 

 and killed. The coolie realizes that it is to his own interest to have 

 the leaves free from worm holes, and rarely has to be urged to attend 

 to this matter. Still, if some of them neglect it, and the appearance 

 of the field shows it, they have to be set at it by those in charge. 



