Cultivation of burley tobacco Nicotiana tabacum in Malawi, Africa, showing the yellowing of the base leaves which indicates the ripening of the plant. The flowers are nipped out at a certain stage since they reduce yield and alter the flavour of the tobacco. The base leaves may be removed singly and the top leaves as a unit. These are then strung onto a pole and hung in a curing barn to cure for a couple of months.