136 Journal or the Department of Agriculture. — Aug., 1922. 



loss financially in beiug unable to maintain proper conditions during 

 the curing- of his crop. 



By making use of heat and moisture, some of these losses can 

 be avoided, even where the tobacco is air-cured. A great percentage 

 of the cigarette leaf which turns dark can be saved by building small 

 charcoal or coke fires, at the critical stage of curing, in the barn 

 below the tobacco during a long wet spell. The heat Avill have the 

 effect of drying off the surplus moisture, which will prevent the curing 

 from going too far with an excess of moisture, and will thus save the 

 colour and, moreover, will reduce the dangers of house-burn. In a 

 favourable season proper ventilation without these fires will have the 

 desired effect. Here the moisture evaporating from the surface of 

 the leaves will saturate the air in the shed, but by ventilation the 

 moist air is removed owing- to the circulation of air. During' wet 



, J'hoto hij J. dii P. O. 

 Tobacco Field, showing seedheads covered with paper baus. 



weather the air will become saturated in the shed and outside, and 

 ventilation alone will not be suificiently effective. The beneficial u.se 

 of the artificial heat is now apparent. By raising the temperature 

 in the barn by 20° F., the moisture-holding rapacity of the shed is 

 doubled, and by keeping the temperature inside the shed about 

 20*-' F. higher than outside, together with just sufficient ventilation, 

 the elements can l)e controlled and the curing of the barn will be 

 successful. 



Again, in a very dry season, moisture, mIucIi will })reveut the 

 leaf from drying out too quickly, should be applied on the floors of 

 the sheds during the first stages of curing. Then the leaf will not 

 simply dry out into a green colour, but will be properly cured. The 

 green colour will be changed into a lemon-yellow colour, w^hich may 

 be fixed or may cure into a light red or red, depending on how the 

 moisture is drawn off. 



