The upper 6 leaves of wide-grown (18,000 plants/ha) flue-cured Virginia were harvested at either the stage of ripeness traditionally considered to be"normalïn terms of leaf colour and general appearance or 10, 20 and 30 days later in a non-replicated farm-scale trial in the Umbria region of Italy. Each treatment was of sufficient area to completely fill the individual 200 rack bulk barn in which it was cured. The delay in harvesting decreased yield by 5 percent in the first 10 day period, 10 percent in the second and a further 10 percent in the third. It improved leaf texture, colour and softness in the first 20 days but markedly decreased these visual and tactile properties after that. It also improved the acceptability of the smoke to the panel of smokers for delays up to 20 days, however, further delay had a strongly negative effect. Nicotine content was increased from 2.8 percent for the"normal"date of harvest to 4.2 percent 20 days later and then decreased mar ginally after that. Total reducing sugars decreased from 24 percent to 3 percent over the 30 day period, with the most marked decrease occurring after 10 days. Sugar:nicotine ratios, therefore, also decreased with the delay in harvesting. These results indicate that the wide-grown flue-cured crop is normally harvested prematurely and that the desirability of upper-stalk leaves could be markedly improved by delaying harvest for up to 20 days.