26 VARIETIES OF TOBACCO SEED DISTRIBUTED IN 1905-6. 



opment of irregular, light yellowish colored patches over the surface 

 and a thickening of the body of the leaves. By crumpling the leaf, 

 if the surface breaks in straight lines, or "cracks,'' as the old growers 

 are accustomed to call it, the leaf is said to be in proper shape for 

 cutting. 



The plants are usuall}" cut with a regular tobacco hatchet or knife 

 and are strung on laths, as shown in Plate V, figure 1. Five or six plants 

 are usuall}" strung on each lath, after which they are hauled to the 

 sheds in wagons speciall}' prepared for this purpose. A wagon with 

 special rack arranged for transporting the plants from the field to the 

 curing shed is shown in Plate V, figure 2. These laths are usually 4 

 feet in length, and are so hung in the curing shed that a space is left 

 between each plant in order to get a circulation of air. A common 

 type of curing shed filled with tobacco is shown in Plate VI, figure 2. 



The curing process requires as a rule from 4 to 6 weeks. The 

 manipulation of the barn or curing shed during this period is entirely 

 governed by the conditions of weather and the nature of the tobacco, 

 so that no fixed rules can be given. However, in a general way it can 

 be said that if the barn is filled with green tobacco and the weather is 

 hot and dry the ventilators should be open most of the time for 

 about 8 da3^s, by which time the tobacco should begin to yellow. The 

 ventilators should onlj^ be closed to prevent too rapid curing during 

 this period. The barn should then be opened at night and kept closed 

 during the day. This is done to prevent too rapid curing, which 

 destroys the life of the leaf and produces uneven colors in the tobacco. 

 If there are frequent showers and but little sunshine the barn should 

 be kept closed, and if there are indications of pole-burn or pole-sweat, 

 small fires, at least two in every bent in the shed, should be started. 

 In order to dry out the tobacco in as short a time as possible, these 

 fires should be distributed throughout the shed and the tobacco above 

 the fires protected by hoods. The best material for making these 

 fires is proljably charcoal or coke, but if these two materials can not 

 be used soft pine wood maj^ be found to l)e satisfactory. In no case 

 should hard wood be used, as certain odors are given off which it is 

 impossible to get out of the tobacco, and these injure the quality and 

 the sale of the crop. To get the best results, the tobacco during the 

 curing process should be kept fairl}" moist and fairly dried out once in 

 every 24 hours. 



After the curing process has been finished the tobacco is usually 

 sorted according to grade and color as laid down by the tobacco trade. 

 The tobacco is then arranged in hands and packed in cases, where it is 

 allowed to go through natural fermentation, or it is placed in a room 

 which can be heated and is there put through a forced sweat. If the 

 natural fermentation takes place it usually does not begin until the 

 warm weather of the succeeding summer. Great care must be used 



