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cial effect on Tobacco, aiding its growth and proper development nearly 

 the same as rain does. 



When the plants are still young two little narrow leaves (called 

 " barbas" in Cuba) appear at the junction of the stem with the two low- 

 est leaves, and they must be picked off as soon as they become visible, 

 for if left they develop inio long, narrow leaves, which greatly injure the 

 plaut. A process called " pruning" consists in taking off the two lower 

 leaves of each plant as soon as they ripen. Care must be taken not to 

 strip apiece of the bark of the stalk when removing them. When cured 

 they produce a fairly good Smoking Tobacco. Particular care must 

 at all times be taken to keep the plants free from grubs or caterpil- 

 lars, and for this purpose hand-picking should be done at least twice 

 daily, otherwise many of the best leaves will be perforated and rendered 

 useless for wrapping purposes. 



Topping (desbotonar). — The Tobacco plant grows more or less 

 high, according to the fertility of the soil and the state of the weather 

 during its growth. " Topping" is an operation which consists in pluck- 

 ing off the shoot button or bud (which encloses the flower) at the top 

 of the plant. It should be taken off with the finger and thumb as being 

 the safest way. The time when it should be plucked off is when the 

 two little leaves which enclose the bud open cut. Not more than twelve 

 leaves should be allowed to remain on each plant, and the surplus leaves 

 should be taken off along with the bud from the top of the plant. One 

 must be very careful not to allow too much time to elapse and the flower 

 to make its appearance, for then the leaves of the plants will be small 

 in size and of inferior quality. Eight days, or thereabout, after the 

 u button" or bud has been removed, the suckers begin to appoar, every 

 one of which should be removed as soon as seen, and the operation 

 must be performed as frequently as necessary in order that the plants 

 may grow strong and vigoroua. This operation is called ("deshijaar") 

 suckering, the suckers being all those leaves which spring up at the 

 junction of the stem and the leaves of the plant, as well as thos that 

 grow from the root and lower part of the stem. After the third sucker- 

 ing the plants will be fit for cutting, but this should never be done until 

 the leaves are matured so as to obtain the Tobacco of prime colour, 

 being careful at the same time to avoid their being too ripe, if this 

 should happen they get discoloured, or dappled, thus losing in quality 

 and producing much " funk" (that is, almost valueless Tobacco.) The 

 leaf is matured when on its surface are formed elevation blisters, 

 called by Cuban planters " vejigar " blistering, and when the tops of 

 the leaves, held in the hand, sound as if they cracked. It is then that 

 the leaf is fully developed. When the plant has been cut, suckers 

 spring up. The leaves developed from these are called "capaduras" or 

 "capones" and to obtain a good Tobacco from them not more than 

 two suckers must be allowed to grow from each parent-root, according 

 to its strength, and leaving only those which sprung up from below the 

 surface of the earth and furthest from tho cut stalk. The suckers or 

 "ratoons" should be carefully weeded, avoiding throwing the earth on 

 the cut stem or on the suckers, and moulding should be performed as 

 frequently as the weather and the vigour of the parent-root requires it. 



The after-cultivation and curing of these suckers is identical with 

 that of the first crop of Tobacco. "Ratoons" or suckers are developed as 



