228 



] oiirnal of Agriculture, Victoria. 



[xo April, 1911. 



bees. It would be as well if they started with a frame hive. Those who 

 already possess bees may conveniently effect the transfer by hiving their 

 swarms in frames instead of empty boxes. Numbers of fruit-growers are 

 well versed in bee-culture, and keep bees in standard frame hives. The 

 latter part of this article is intended for those who, from lack of time ot 

 inclination, have so far retained the box hive. 



TOBACCO CULTURE. 



{Continued from page 184.) 

 T. A. J. Smith, Tobacco Expert. 

 Curing. 

 Curing is without doubt the most important matter in connexion with 

 the production of good leaf, and it is here that growers have much^ to 

 learn with regard to making the best of the leaf grown. The mere drying, 

 out of tobacco is not curing. The latter is a much more complex pro- 

 cess. 



Tobacco leaf under- 

 goes certain chemical 

 changes during the 

 curing process due to 

 the action of ferments- 

 which are contained 

 in the leaf cell, or 

 protoplasm of the leaf 

 cell. If the life of 

 the leaf is killed 

 by being frozen, or 

 scorched by too great 

 heat, a cure of that 

 part of the leaf 

 affected cannot be 

 obtained, neither will 

 the later process 

 of fermentation take 

 place. These fer- 

 ments are called 

 enzymes, and unless 

 the conditions neces- 

 sary to enable them 

 TOBACCO CASK AKv j'oi^ Acco HANGING IN SHED. |-q perform their work 

 are present, a perfect cure is not possible. The aroma of tobacco is lost 

 without a proper cure, and the flavour also is left undeveloped to a larger 

 extent. 



A too rapid drying destroys the enzyme. Cold and wet also have the 

 same effect. Therefore, it will be observed that the curing process should 

 be gradual, and calculated to encourage the development of this active 

 agent in the cure; temperatures between 50 deg. F. and 150 deg. F. are 

 the most favourable. In some tobaccoes where colour for wrappers, and 

 other qualities besides those of aroma are required, this enzyme is not 

 fostered to so great a degree, but is still necessary for the fermentation 

 process. Yellow leaf is an instance. Plug and cigar tobaccoes are, how- 



