207 



The plan is also being tried in the East Indies, and promises to 

 be adopted in every district suitable for the cultivation of tobacco 

 for making cigars. The acreage under cloth in Cuba in the 

 autumn of 1904 will be in the neighbourhood of 2,000 acres, of 

 which one-third will be grown by the American Tobacco Company, 

 through its allied companies. 



The effect of growing tobacco under cloth in Cuba is as follows: 

 The yield of the tobacco is greatly increased as compared with 

 out-door tobacco ; the plants being protected from the elements 

 and insects, the leaves are perfect, being neither torn by the wind 

 or rain nor eaten by insects ; the plants start to grow more rapid- 

 ly and are thriftier in every respect ; the effect of the partial 

 shade afforded by the cloth is to make the leaves thinner, of finer 

 texture, and more desirable in every respect for the wrapping of 

 the finest grades of cigars. 



The cloth not only covers the top of the framework over the 

 field but comes down to the sides, in the form of walls, so that the 

 entire field is enclosed and covered by the cloth. 



Erection of the frames ; as done in Cuba : 



Posts about four inches in diameter and twelve feet long are set 

 three feet in the ground (so that nine feet projects above the sur- 

 face of the earth) and l6J feet, English measure, apart in each di- 

 rection. There is therefore a post every l6h feet each way, over 

 the entire field. From post to post in each direction is stretched 

 a No. 9 galvanised steel fence wire, being stapled to the top of 

 each post where they cross. Additional smaller wires of No. 12 

 or No. 14 size, are then stretched parallel, about three to each 

 space of l6j feet, coming down at the sides of the tent and being 

 fastened to stakes, as, it should be added, are the No. 9 wires pre- 

 viously mentioned. 



The cloth is furnished in the width of 200 inches, English, 

 for the top, and in pieces from 50 to 1 00 or more yards long. 

 The cloth is stretched between each space of i6i feet in a direc- 

 tion at right angles to the small wires, and it is usual to weave the 

 cloth above and below these small wires, and the parallel No. 9 

 wire, alternately. The two edges of the cloth are then wrapped 

 about the No. 9 wire and sewed with cords, the stitches being made 

 about three inches apart. 



Another method is to have stringers or pieces of lumber 2x4 

 inches, nailed from post to post in one direction, and supporting 

 parallel smaller wires at right angles to these stringers. The cloth 

 is then stretched over these parallel wires, and nailed with staples 

 to each stringer. This frame costs more than the post and wire 

 frame described in the preceding paragraphs. 



In most tents, the cloth at the sides is brought to the ground at 

 an angle, the baseboard to which the cloth is stapled being about 

 six feet out from the last line of posts. This i)resents a slanting 

 side to the wind, aiwJ deflects the wind above the tent, so tJiat it 

 does not receive it with the same force as a tent with straight 



