6 



with the left hand and the earth taken out of the hole with the right, and placing the seedling into the 

 hole, throw some earth on the roots and slightly press it down, being very careful not to injure the 

 tender stem of the seedling, and then fill up the hole with the loose soil. The depth at which the seedlings 

 should be placed in the holes depends on its size, for which reason no exact rule can be given, bat 

 generally speaking, in ordinary size seedlings the rootand a small portion of the stem only should be buried. 

 Tall seedlings can be placed a few inches deeper, according to the size, but in no case should any seed- 

 lings be buried so deeply that the lower leaves touch the earth. One should also be careful not to allow 

 any eahth to fall on the top 07 the young plant. Wet weather is niost suitable for planting, and 

 if the sol I be very wet, the seedlings should be planted lightly, that is, avoiding all pressure on their 

 roots. If the planting be done in furrows, the seedling should be placed on that side of the furrow called 

 by the vegueros " oreja," which is the side on the tcest. 



Seedlings from a distance. — When on any account planting has to be done with seedlings brought 

 from a far distance, the greatest care should be observed in transporting and preserving them, for 

 otherwise many will die when transplanted. The best manner is to take out the seedlings early in the 

 morning and place them on the river bank (if there be any near) and under the shade ot a tree so us to 

 keep them altogether out of reach of the rays of the sun. After six in the evening of the same day or 

 before dawn of the next they should be put up in small bundles, and before starting for their destina- 

 tion they should be sprinkled with cold water As soon as they arrive at their destination they should 

 be placed "in the cool, under the shade of a tree. Every bundle should be undone and the seedlings 

 separated widely apart and water again sprinkled on all so that when planting time arrives they aro 

 quite cool. If planted whilst warm very few seedlings will live. 



If there is no rain when planting begins and the soil is very dry, sufficient water must be poured 

 into each nolo, and planting ought not to b3 performed till the following day, when the soil is moist. 

 The newly-planted seedlings stiould ba watered twice daily, b3fore sun-rise and after sunset, for two 

 or more days successively until it is seen that they have taken root. After the young plants are trans- 

 planted in the field thosa which have died must be replaced, and the operation repsated if necessary to 

 insure a good crop. 



Planting on Virgin Land. — For planting no trees or shade of any kind should b3 used, and there- 

 fore every one should be taken away on the land intended for a Tobacco field. Nawly cleared land 

 cannot be ploughed on account of the stumps and roots of the trees cut down. The roots could, of 

 course, be dug out, but the expense attending this operation would ba great. They ma}', however, 

 be gradually dug out until in a few years none b3 left on the land. 



When the soil suited for planting has been newly cleared and cannot for the reasons given be ploughed, 

 holing must be adopted, which is done by means of a pointed pole or an iron implement made in the 

 shape of a lance. After driv ing the instrument used with soma force into the soil, turn it in several 

 directions so as to break up the earth thoroughly, keeping a distance of eighteen inches from ejch. 

 hole and three feet from each row of holes. To give a regular and symmetrical appearance to the field 

 we use a long, strong, single cord with pieces of coloured rags, or any other material fastened in at the 

 distance upirt which has been mentioned, namely, eighteen inches. The cord is kept stretched out bj 

 means of a stake driven in the ground at each end of the cord. In forming the rows of holes with this 

 liae the stakes tied at the end of it are placed at a distance of three feet from the preceding row. 



CHAPTER IV. 

 AFTER CULTIVATION. 



About eight or ten days after planting, if the soil is not too wet, the furrows are closed up by hoeing 1 

 up the earth carefully around the plants and again performing the same operation at intervals of aboa* 

 fitteen days. Tnis operation should be done if it does not rain. As a general rule it may ba said that 

 this operation of hoeing, or as it is commonly called, '•' Moulding" should be performed as often as neces* 

 sary to keep the soil loose and tree from weeds. Moulding exerts a beneficial 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 lowest leaves, and they must be picked off as soon as they become 

 visible, for if left they develop into long, narrow leaves, which greatly injure the plant. A process 

 called " pruning" consists in taking off the two lower leaves of each plant as soon as they ripen. Caro 

 must be taken not to strip a piece of the bark of the stalk when removing them. When cured they pro- 

 duce a fairly good Smoking Tobacco. Particular care must at all times be taken to keep the plants free 

 from grubs or caterpillars, and for this purpose hanl-picking should be done at least twice daily, other- 

 wise many of the best leaves will be perforated and rendered useless for wrapping purposes. 



Topping (desboton >r). — The Tob icco 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 ia 

 plucking off the shoot button or bu I (which encloses the fbwer) 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 pluekei off is 

 when the two little leaves which enclose the bud open out. Not more than twelve leaves should bo allowed 

 to remain on each plant, and the surplus leaves sh ml J be taken off along with the bud from the top of 

 the plant. One must be very careful not to allow too much ti ne to elapse and the flower to mike its 

 appearance, for then the leives of the plants will be sm ill in siz; an 1 of an inferior quility. Ei^ht days, 

 or thereabout, after the '•'button" or bud has been remove!, the suckers begin to appear, every one of 

 which should be removed as soon as sem, and the operation must be performed as frequently as nacai- 

 sary in order that the plants may grow strong and vigorous. This operation is called ("deshij »ar") 

 EUCKEK1NO, the suckers b: j ing all those leaves which spring up at the junction of the stem and the leaves 

 of the plant, as well as those that grow from the rootand lower part of the ste.n. After the thirl suck*- 

 ering the plants will be fit for cutting, but this should never ba doae until the leaves are riatukeo so a*. 



