TOBACCO IN THE PHILIPPINES. 79 



according to the size, color and condition of the leaf. The sorted 

 leaves are put on sticks about one meter in length, the classes being 

 kept separately. One hundred tobacco leaves are put on every stick 

 and this is hung on the drying-shed to dry. The drying-shed most 

 generally found in this country is made in the shape of the native 

 house with roof, but with uncovered sides. The sticks with the 

 tobacco leaves are hung on supports, usually set at the following dis- 

 tances: The first about five feet from the ground, the next two feet 

 higher, while the succeeding ones usually have a distance between 

 them of from three to four feet. It is seldom that the native takes 

 the trouble to cover the sides of his shed and thus protect his tobacco 

 from the intense sunlight, strong winds and rains. I have seen large 

 quantities of tobacco hung on rafters to dry in the open fields, without 

 any covering whatever to protect the leaves from the searching rays of 

 the sun, and from the rains and dews. Again, the practise is very 

 common of hanging the tobacco on poles horizontally suspended from 

 the floors of the native shacks. More attention should be given to the 

 proper construction of drying-sheds if the best results from the curing 

 are to be obtained. 



When dried, the tobacco is taken to some company's curing-house, 

 where the first fermentation is done. The tobacco during this fermen- 

 tation is still on the sticks used for hanging. The piles are kept at a 

 temperature of between 35° and 40° C, the object being to give the 

 tobacco a little color for guidance in classification and in further 

 curing. After the first fermentation is complete, the tobacco is 

 divided into five classes according to length and quality of the leaves. 

 In the second fermentation, which is made with the tobacco in fardos, 

 the temperature is kept at about 55° C. The piles are frequently 

 turned over to secure the proper heat and regulate the fermentation. 

 The success of the operation depends principally on the experience and 

 skill of the manipulator, as there are so many vital points that enter 

 into consideration. 



The curing-houses owned by the several tobacco companies are not 

 constructed so as to get the best results from the fermentation. 

 Usually ventilation is lacking, and it is very difficult to control the 

 fermentation the way that it should be done in order to obtain the 

 shades of color in the tobacco which the market demands. 



Yields of Tobacco. 



The yields vary greatly with the seasons and also with the char- 

 acter of the soil. An average for several years from one acre is 

 610 Ids. In favorable seasons 3,000 lbs. of dry tobacco have been 

 obtained from one acre of land. 



