39 

 XIII. Stripping. 

 This process is represented by Figure 23. 



FlOURE -23. 



After the tobacco is thoroughly cured it has to be stripped. 

 The leaves become soft and pliant in damp weather and 

 can be readily taken down out of the barn ior stripping. 

 After taking down, the i)lants should be packed, in order 

 to be kept moist until stripping. 



This operation consists in taking the leaves from the 

 Rtalk and tying them in bundles after assorting the various 

 qualities and keeping them separate. Each hand or bun- 

 dle of the best grades should contain at least twelve leaves. 

 In the old tobacco tStates the plant is usually made into 

 three grades — long, short, and lugs, or worm eaten leaves. 



In Cuba the leaves are divided into four classes ; first, 

 the leaves at the top of the plant, which constitute the 

 best quality, from the fact that they get more equally the 

 benelit of the sun's rays by day and the dew at night; 

 second, the leaves which are next to the above; third, the 

 inferior or small leaves; fourth, the lug leaves, or those 

 nearest the ground. 



The assorting of the plant previous to putting in hands 

 or bundles is an operation that requires judgment and a 



