CARE AND CULTIVATION OF TOBACCO IN CONN. VALLEY. 1 79 



plants should be thoroughly shook out when the hanging is 

 done. This prevents pole sweat to an extent. Twine and the 

 fittings necessary are more expensive than lath, besides the 

 process is more awkward, both in hanging and taking down. 

 Thorough ventilation, when the tobacco is hung in the shed, is 

 of the utmost importance. The doors must be kept open days 

 and closed nights if the weather is dry, or the reverse if too 

 dry. At first it is better to keep them closed during a rainy 

 spell. Care must be taken that high winds do not whip the 

 leaves after the tobacco is hung up. Doors must be shut on the 

 windward at such times. The sun shining directly onto tobacco 

 after it is hung is also a detriment. It is said to be productive 

 of white veins. It should be dry, or free from rain or dew, 

 when carted into the shed, so the leaves will not stick together 

 and sweat. But a moderately damp cure is preferable to a 

 dry one. 



The number of plants strung on each lath depends on their 

 size and growth. Ordinarily six is the usual number, but 

 sometimes five is enough. Their distance apart when hang- 

 ing is eight inches, unless the tobacco is very large, when 

 five is enough. Sometimes, in case of a light growth, seven 

 may be used. The period that tobacco should hang before it 

 is sufficiently cured to take oflf the lath depends entirely on 

 the weather and cure. In a good curing season early cut 

 tobacco should be ready to take down in six weeks, but late cut 

 tobacco requires a longer time. Be sure the stems are thor- 

 oughly cured. 



Water should never be used on tobacco to dampen it. If it 

 does not show at the time when used it will in the bale or case 

 months afterwards, unless very carefully used. Much of the 

 fineness and quality of the leaf seems to depend on the season, 

 not only on the growing but the curing season also. The 

 market at the present time demands light shades in tobacco. 

 These colors are the most desirable as people now smoke, 

 fashion governing the trade. The first requisite in a tobacco 

 leaf is its color. Everything else is seemingly of secondary 

 consideration. This is liable to change at any time among the 

 class of smokers who smoke with their eyes, and, strange to say, 

 this class predominates today. The eye must be suited first, 

 regardless of all other considerations. Real flavor and quality 

 is relegated to the background. 



