The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1891-07-23

difference of opinion. Breaking off
the small inferior leaves of the plant
near the ground is called "priming,"
or pruning proper, which operation
is done along with the "topping,' if
done at all. There are advantages
for and against priming, but all resort
to topping-plucking out the seed
bud and adjacent small leaves with
the thumb and finger. Some contend
that pulling off the lower leaves saps
the plants and retards the growth if
the weather is dry. That permitting
the lower leaves to remain on the stalk
protects the upper ones from sand and
grit, makes them cleaner, and there
tore more salable. Sand and grit are
the terror of the tobacco buyer. On
the other hand it is contended by
some that by pulling off the lower
leaves, which are generally useless,
the remaining leaves receive more
nutriment, and contain more wax, oil
and gum, and that the lower leaves
harbor worms and make the worming
process more tedious.
1t is best to wait until considerable
number of plants begin to button for
seed before commencing to top. Top
ping should be the work of experienced
and trusty hands-men who can top,
leaving any required number OF leaves
on a plant without counting. The
secret OF this-no longer secret to
the initated-is, that the topper soon
learns to know that counting the bot
tom leaf and the leaf that hangs over
it in the third tier going upward make
nine leaves, including both top and
bottom leaves. Fixing this in his
mind, the topper has only to add to
or deduct from this index leaf making
nine, to leave any desired number of
leaves on each plant with certainty
and without counting. Young man,
if you don't know how, get some old
negro to show you. Topping, you
will find, is slow business if you have
to count the leaves on all the plants
topped. If the plants are not ssprimed, -
then the "bottom' leaf must be fixed
by the eye, looking upward for the
leaf in the third tier, which hangs
over it, to catch the cue as before.
If priming is done, don'terr in pulling
off too many leaves. No regular rule
can be given, SO the planter must
Judge for himself. The reason given
TOR waiting until many plants are
ready to be topped is mainly that
more plants may ripen together, and
be ready for the knife at the same time,
This is an advantage that applies with
strong force to all tobacco intended
for hue curing.
The number Of leaves to be left on
each plant varies according to the
time the work is done, early or late
the appearance and prospective devel-
opment OF the plant, the season.
whether propitious or unfavorable
strength of the soil, and amount O.
fertilizer material applied. On me-
dunn soils, in ordinary seasons, the
first topplug should be from ten to
thirteen leaves-rarely more-fol
brights. For sweet filters from nine
to ten, and for dark, rich shipping
from eight to nine leaves are enough
As the season advances reduce the
number of leaves accordingly, remem
bering that quality, more than quantity
regulates returns.
wORAIING AND SUCKERING.
Many devices have been resorteC
to in order to lessen the number anC
mitigate the ravages of the horn worm
but the lack of general and continued
efforts from year to year has brough
only partial relief. Some years they
come in great numbers, and DESPITE
the best efforts of the planter, seriously
damage his crop. Perhaps the mex
year they are few, and give him NJ
trouble. 1t is the nature of this insec
to raise at least two broods during
the wear. The hawk-moth or tobacco
| fly usually makes his appearance IL
Virginia in the month of May. Thu
eggs deposited by the first moth
hatch out in from five to seven day
Larvae or worms. The worm sheds it
outer skin twice before its gets growl
The growing stage of the worm last
from twenty-five to thirty days, an|
after it has attained its growth
gorges itself a few days longer, ant
then crawls off burrows in the ground
where it soon passes into the pup
state, and after some twenty-three o
twenty-five days from its crawlln!
into the ground to pupa sends tort
a moth to lay more eggs and hate
out more worms. Each moth is capa
+ bic of laying on an average two hun
dred eggs. So that for every mot
in May we may reasonably expect
least one hundred worms Of the tlr:
brood and if none of these destroyed