In selecting plants from any source, there are certain points to be observed :—(1) The shoote should come from young vigorous plants; (2) they should be over 1 ft. long ; (3) those with large roots and few rootlets should be rejected ; (4) those having white roots, covered with a fibrous, white, silky down, are also t,o be rejected, this being an indication of the presence of a very injurioue subt,erranean parasitic fungus, capable of destroying the entire crop; (5) a good shoot is straight, at least in. diem., 18 in. long, furnished with numerous buds close to each other, root short, but covered with rootlets. Shoots for planting may be collected in autumn, after the leaves have fallen, and be preserved in a nursery until spring ; or this may be done in early spring, when the ground is very moist and soft. In either case, care should be observed that the rootlets are not injured by.drying, or froin any other cause.
The eulture to be given the plant is somewhat similar to that required by Indian corn : the earth about it should be kept tolerably mellow and free from weeds, and such conditions can probably be maintained to a degree sufficient for sumach, by working several times during the growing season with a cultivator, and passing through the rows occasionally with a plough. All this work is not absolutely necessary to the life of the plant, hut its vigour, and consequently its yield in leaves, may be considerably increased and strengthened thereby. After the first year, tho number of operatione may be diminished, but they should always be sufficient to keep the ground free from weeds and grass.
Shortly after planting, and when the plant is well set, tho stock is pruned to a length of 6-8 in., when the plant is left to assume any form, and is no further pruned except by the process of collecting the leaves, unlees hand-picking is resorted to ; in such case, after the 2ud year, pruning takes place each year in the fall or winter, the plant being reduced to a height of 6-I0 in. After the 3rd year, the plant begins to produce the shoots from about its base, already mentioned ; these, if not needed for new plantations, should removed each year, for if left to develop, they weaken the plant. If not removed during the eummer, the operation should without fail be effected during the fall or winter.
The 1st crop of leaves may be secured during the year following that of planting. This develops and matures somewhat later than that from older plants, and in Italy it is not collected until the end of August or the 1st of September ; but there are reasons for believing that in the United States, especially in the N. States, the colle,ction of leaves from native varieties should be made much earlier, beeause the summer is much shorter, and the habits of the varieties grown differ from tho Sicilian. All tho leaves, except the young and tender ones of the extremities of tho branches, aro stripped off and placed in baskets, in which they aro carried to a threshing-floor, where they are spread out in thin layers to dry. Here they must be frequently stirred and turned over, for whieh purpose a fork with wooden prongs is employed. In the fall, when grow this finished, and before the leaves have had time to become red, those remaining on tho extremities are collected. To this end, the branches are broken just below the tuft of leaves, and the latter
are allowed to remain suspended to the branch by a piece of hark not detached, and loft in this oondition until nearly or quite dry. They are then collected and treated in the same manner as other leaves, but the product obtained in thie way is always of inferior quality.
After the 2uti year, crops of larger quantity and superior quality are obtained, and the collec tion is made in a different way, and much more frequently. The two methods followed in Sicily aro (1) pruning, and (2) defoliation. The first, which is the rnore ancient, but much less costly, requires less care, and is simple and rapid ; but it is injurious to the future condition of tho plant, and the quantity of subsequent crops. The second, though slower, serves to better maintain tho vigour of the plant, and the uniform quantity of the crop from year to year ; in consequence, it reduees the neeeseity for frequent renewal of stocks.
Harvest by pruning ie carried on in Italy as follows. During May, the lower leaves, which, from greater age, appear to have attsioed full maturity, and may be in danger of loss from falling, are removed in the same manner as described for collecting the le,aves from yearling plants. Toward the end of June, and timing the course of July, all branches bearing leaves are cut away, reducing the plant to the principal stock : by this means, the crop is harvested and the plant is pruned at the same time. But even in Sicily, the time for thie operation is limited to no absolute period, and varies with the development of the leaf, as indicated by cessation of growth and increase in size. In this condition, also, the leavee will have acquired their deepest green colour, and attained their maximum weight and beet quality. It is further stated that while this time variee according to locality, about Palermo it is never earlier than June nor later than July. The harvest by pruning must always be made by men accustomed to the work, and equal to the exertion required. Provided with a pruniug-bill, they cut off all leaf-bearing branches, collecting them on the left arm, until each has cut as much as he can conveniently earry, when he places the armful ou tho ground with the butte in the direction of the prevailing wind, which, if tolerably strong, might carry away some of the leaves if turned in the opposite direction ; finally, he presses down the branches with hie foot, to make the heap more compact, and leave less surface exposed to the wind and sun. Another labourer deposits a second armful in the same p/ace, presses it witb his foot in like manner, and the two deposits constitute a bundle. At the close of the operation, there remain the young shoots which are formed about the base of the plant, the leaves of which are not fully developed, and consequently not fit for collection until at least 20 days later. After this time, they are removed by hand, care being observed not to injure the buds, especially if the shoots are to be used for stocks in the formation of plantations of the following year.