418' 



Journal of the Department op Agriculture. 



Second Stage of Curing. — As the tobacco leaves on the reeds are 

 closely packed, preventing to some extent very rapid drying of the 

 central portions of the leaves, which might not have yellowed com- 

 pletely in the wilting-room, a certain degree of yellowing of those 

 portioiis will coiitiiine to take place in tlie drying camp for a few days. 

 The full development of the yellow colonr marks the end of the first 

 stage of cnring. The second stage is in reality only a rapid drying, 

 and the changes which take place then are not dependent on life 

 processes. When the leaf is quite yellow it is to all intents and 

 purposes dead, and no more starch and (or) other foods are consumed. 

 After the first or second day in the drying camp the object is to dry 

 the tobacco as rapidly as possible without scorching it, and thus fix 

 the yellow colour. During the second and epecially the third stages 

 of curing the changes which occur are mainly a further breaking up 

 of the products formed during the first stage. The reddening or 



[PJioto h,j /'. Korh. 



V\K\. h. — Keerls df tobacco placud flat on the ground in diying-oanip to drj- out 

 more rapidly and to obtain better colonr. Continuation of second stage of 

 carina". 



darkening (jf the tobacco which lakes j)hici' in the drying cam]) is due 

 to oxidation when there is too much moisture in the air as during 

 rainy weather or when it is exposed to heavy dews. 



When the mid-ribs are half dry the reeds are removed from the 

 trellis and placed flat on the ground on hessian cloth or grass (see 

 fig. 5) and turned every day until the tobacco is quite dry. Though 

 this practice is not absolutely essential, except within about twenty 

 miles from the coast, tobacco treated in this manner dries out more 

 rapidly, develops as a whole a better colour, and much space is saved 

 on the trellis. 



During the first two stages of the curing of turkish tobacco about 

 TO to 80 per cent, of its green weight is lost, and by far the largest 

 amount of this is water. In order, tlierefore, to cure tobacco success- 

 fully this amount of water has to be removed under such conditions 



