Abstract: A tobacco harvester includes a plurality of linearly spaced tobacco plant engaging flights attached to an endless chain at equal linear distances with the sensing of a tobacco plant at a first position resulting in a cycle of operation occurring to advance the plant from its first position to a second position just beyond the front end of a spear. The plant is centered by an upper driven belt and a lower non-driven belt between which the plant is advanced by one of the flights. A paddle wheel is rotated 180.degree. during each advancement of a tobacco plant from its first position to its second position and aids in advancing the plant between the two centering belts. When another plant is sensed at the first position, the first tobacco plant is advanced from its second position to a third position on a stick at the rear of the spear.