A high price is generally commanded, irrespective of the species, by those tobaccos that possess a large, smooth, thin, elastic leaf, possessing a fine golden colour and a good aroma ; the ribs and veins should be thin, and the former should branch off from the mid-rib at nearly right angles, and should be far apart from each other. The lower the percentage of the weight in ribs, the thinner and broader the leaf, and the fewer the leaves torn, the more wrappers can be cut out of 1 lb. of tobacco, other conditions being equal, and consequently the higher is the price of the article. The cigar-manufacturer often does not appreciate the aroma so much as the other qualities. He can do nothing to improve the botanical characters : the finest aromatic leaf would be of little value to him if it were torn ; but he is to a certain extent able artificially to improve defects in flavour. Of all kinds, Maryland is considered to possess the qualities that distinguish a good tobacco in the highest degree. Some of the Havanna tobaccos belong to this sort, as also the Ohio, Amersfort, Turkish, and Dutten tobaccos. Its cultivation assumes larger proportions every year, and the number of varieties and sub-varieties increases accordingly. Perhaps the finest wrappers for cigars are grown in Manilla.
Seed.—The best and strongest plants are selected for affording seed. These are not "topped" like the remainder of the crop, and are left standing when the crop is gathered. All suckers are carefully removed from the stems, and sometimes from the leaves also. When the crop is cut, the seed-stalks should be staked, to prevent their destruction by the wind. As soon as the seed-pods blacken, the seed is ripe ; the heads are then cut off below the forks of the plant, and are hung in a dry and safe place to cure. Care must be taken to gather them before frost has impaired their vitality. During leisure time, t a c pods are stripped from the stalks, and the seed is rubbed out by hand, and winnowed. Its vitality is proved by its crackling when thrown upon a hot stove.
Seed-beds.—A very light friable soil is necessary for the seed-beds; to obtain this, it should be broken up to a depth of ft. some months before the sowing-season. A drain is dug around the beds, and the soil is utilized in raising the surface. In America, a very warm and sheltered situation, such as the south end of a barn, is selected for the seed-beds. It is a common plan there to burn a brush-heap over the ground, thus supplying potash and killing weeds. The time for sowing in America is usually from the middle of March to the 10th of April, or as soon as the ground admits of working in the spring ; in India, it depends upon the locality : when the monsoon rains are very heavy, it should follow them ; in other cases, it may precede them.
Unless the soil be very rich in humus, it should be heavily manured with well preserved farm yard manure soon after breaking up. The soil of a tobacco nursery cannot contain too much organic
matter ; the presence of much humus will prevent, to a great extent, the formation of a surface crust, which is so detrimental to the development of the plants during their early growth, and will also facilitate the extraction of the plants when transplanting takes place. After a few weeks have elapsed, the soil should be dug over a second time, and the whole be reduced to a fine tilth. The land may now remain untouched until the sowing time, unless weeds should spring up : these must be eradicated.
The area required for a nursery depends on the area of ground to he planted, and on the distance separating the plants in the field. About 1 sq. in. space should be allotted to each of the young plants in the nursery. Taking the number to be 7260 plants required for an acre (at 3 ft. x 2 ft.), and giving each plant 1 sq. in. of room, an area of 7000 sq. in. or 50 sq. ft. would raise plants sufficient for an acre. But as some are injured during growth, many rendered useless in lifting them for transplanting, and more needed to replace those that die after transplanting, double the number should be raised, or 100 sq. ft. of nursery bed for an acre.
The amount of seed required for an acre depends chiefly on its vitality. An ounce contains about 100,000 seeds, or sufficient for nearly 7 acres if all grew ; but as even the best has not a very high percentage of vitality, H oz. is generally sown to produce the plants required for one acre.
Sowing-time having arrived, the nursery is divided into beds, most conveniently, 10 ft. long and 5 ft. wide, tusking 50 sq. ft. each, on which plants for acre can easily be raised. As, even with a small tobacco plantation, several days are required for transplanting, all the beds should not be sown at one time, but at intervals of a few days. This will also lessen the risk of the young plants being all destroyed by a storm, insects, &c. Before sowing the seed, the soil is dug over to the depth of 6 in., and levelled with a rake. The seed must then be sown evenly on the surface, and beaten down slightly with the hand or otherwise. The seed being very small, many cultivators mix it with ashes, or pulverized gypsum, in order to distribute it regularly over the bed. The seed must be covered only slightly, best done by strewing a little fine compost manure over it. Ants, which often destroy the seeds, may be kept off by sprinkling some ashes over the bed. Finally cut straw may be scattered over the surface. In India, to protect the nursery from the sun and rain, the whole is covered with a roof made of straw, leaves, or oloth, supported by poles, at only a few feet above the ground. The soil must be kept constantly moist, but not wet ; weak liquid manure may be used for watering. Much time is saved by starting the seed in a warm room before sowing.