35 



of the young plants it is best first to sprinkle the beds with water. 

 It is desirable to have as much of the fine soil as will adhere to the 

 roots of the plants removed with them. 



TIME OF TRANSPLANTING FOR WRAPPER AND FILLER. 



In Porto Rico, which is situated between 17° 55' and 18° 32' north 

 latitude, the best season for planting tobacco seems to be in the win- 

 ter, which is also true of Cuba. The rainfall at that season is less 

 and the temperature several degrees cooler than in summer. In the 

 summer, under the influence of greater warmth and moisture, the 

 plants grow more rapidly, but the leaves do not acquire that desirable 

 aroma, that they have when grown during the period in which less 

 humidity and plenty of sunshine prevails. When grown in the sum- 

 mer there is also more danger from loss by standing water in the 

 fields and diseases are more prevalent. It is very important to gauge 

 the time of planting so as to avoid excessive rainfall or extreme 

 drought during the growing season and also to have the harvesting 

 and curing period occur in comparatively dry weather. 



Generally, the best time for transplanting the wrapper tobacco 

 seems to be about the end of October or beginning of November. 

 This brings the harvest time about February 1, and gives that month 

 and March, which are on the average the driest of the year, for the 

 curing. This also avoids serious damage by the flea-beetle, which is 

 most prevalent during the dry season. 



The following table, which gives the mean monthly and annual 

 rainfall for various districts, shows that on the average November is 

 a month of high rainfall, but during the following months of Decem- 

 ber, January, and February it rapidly decreases. If, therefore, level, 

 poorly drained land is to be used for the wrapper crop, there is dan- 

 ger of the tobacco being damaged and sometimes destroyed by wet 

 weather. In such cases it is advisable to defer the planting until 

 December. 



Mean monthly and annual rainfall for various districts in Porto Rico. 



Station. 



Elevation. 



Length of 

 record. 



January. 



February. 



March. 



April. 



May. 



June. 



July. 



August. 



September. 



October. 



November. 



December. 



L 



< 





Feet. 



Years. 



Ins. 



Ins. 



Ins. 



Ins. 



Ins. 



Ins. 



Ins. 



Ins. 



Ins. 



7ns. 



Ins. 



Ins. 



Ins. 



Isabella 



243 



5 



4.74 



1.51 



2.12 



5.58 



7.75 



6.11 



3.49 



6.41 



4.52 



5.68 



8.74 



6.37 



63.02 



Utuado 



427 



2 and 3 



«4.62 



.43 



2.80 



5.50 



11.39 



8.44 



5. 16 



6.29 



11.48 



11.54 



11.07 



4.93 



83. 65 



Caguas 



Cayey 



246 



3 and 4 



&6.02 



1.18 



3. 11 



ttj.82 



5.49 



10.41 



9.83 



b8.36 



5. 87 



10.63 



7.11 



63.85 



77.68 



1,247 



5 



4. 11 



1.63 



2.29 



5.04 



9.45 



9. 96 



7.56 



8.92 



6.87 



6. 63 



7.32 



4.75 



74.53 



San Lorenzo 



203 



4 



3.96 



1.38 



3.64 



5.34 



8.38 



17.49 



8.04 



9.49 



9.07 



8.39 



7.11 



5.53 



87.82 



Yauco.. 



98 



3 and 4 



3.37 



.55 



&2.56 



3.31 



5.28 



7.53 



7.95 



3.61 



5.17 



4. 67 



4.68 



2.07 



50.75 



a For two years only. b For three years only. 



For the filler crop it is advised to plant about the middle or close 

 of December, so that the principal growth will be made during the 



