104 Journal of the Department of Agriculture. — Aug., 1922. 

 Different Methods of Curing Tobacco. 



There has recently been a rapid increase in the world's consump- 

 tion of cigarettes, therefore tobacco growers in the, Union have less to 

 fear from overproduction of this type of leaf than fiom the pipe and 

 roll tobacco, for under existing conditions there is always the jjossi- 

 bility of a profitable export trade in the light leaf which would be 

 more difficult to establish for our surplus of dark leaf tobacco. In 

 the Union during recent years there has generally existed a good 

 demand for the various types of tobacco produced locally, and pro- 

 duction consequently has developed until last year approximately 

 18,000,000 lb. weight of leaf was produced, a large proportion of 

 which consisted of inferior or low grade leaf tobacco due in great 

 measure to the present metliods in vogue in the growing, curing, and 

 handling of the crop. This large crop was in excess of the Union's 

 requirements, not only m respect of inferior leaf, but also of the 

 better grades of dark tobacco, though, on the other hand, the demand 

 continued to be good for leaf suitable for the manufacture of cigar- 

 ettes. It is clear, therefore, that the light type of tobacco offers the 

 best market for the grower; correspondingly the ro'turii is also the 

 highest, and it is the aim of most growers to produce? this class of 

 tobacco. Affecting very considerably the result of the season's crop, 

 whether it will give a high percentage of light or of dark tobacco, are 

 the conditions of soil and climate. Yet while some of our larger 

 tobacco producing districts are favourably situated in so far rs these 

 two factors are concerned, they do not reap any advantage therefrom 

 for their present methods of curing render the crop unfit for cigarette 

 manufacture. It is estimated that, apart from the Turkish tobacco 

 crop, the quantity of cigarette leaf obtained fror": th.e Union's ^rop is 

 from 15 to 18 per cent, in the large producing dishicts of the Traiis- 

 vaal and 10 to 12 pei cent, in Oudtslniorn, wliihi in some other parts 

 only 5 per cent, is obtained, the b-ilance resulting in the various 

 grades of pipe and roll tobacco. 



With a view, therefore, to assisting growers desirous of ])]'oduc- 

 ing a higher percentage of cigarette leaf, and also of showing how 

 they may improve the quality of their tobacco generally, 

 Mr. Oosthuizen, the Assistant Chief, Tobacco and Cotton Division, 

 and Manager of the Experiment Station at Rustenburg, has written 

 an article, published in full elsewhere in this issue of the Journal, 

 explaining the various changes that take place in the leaf in the 

 process of curing and the different methods that are employed in 

 curing tobacco. Heat and moisture are the chief agencies that operate 

 in the change of the green leaf to the cured one possessing all the 

 desired qualities, and it is in the control of these two factors that a 

 high percentage of cigarette leaf can be produced : for such a purpose 

 a building is necessary. In the Union tobacco is cured either by air, 

 flue, sun, or fire. But for the Turkish tobacco produced in the 

 western districts of the Cape Province for cigarette manufacture 

 which is all sun-cured, practically all the Union's tobacco is air-cured. 

 The air-curing, indeed, is the oldest method in vogue, and the greatest 

 portion of the world's production is still treated in this manner. And 

 in the Union, in parts where the soil is suitable, high percentages of 

 yellow leaf can be obtained from this method in most seasons; more- 

 over, hitherto the few that have practised flue-curing (which is more 



