lo April, 191 i.] Tobacco Culture. 229 



ever, very dependent on the development of this agent, which will rid 

 these tobaccoes of the strong bitter flavour and bad aroma they would 

 otherwise possess, and improve the colour, texture, and smoking qualities 

 of the leaf. 



Different types of tobacco require different treatments, and the same 

 tobaccoes will require a modification of the rules laid down for each type, 

 according to the state of the tobacco when harvested. For instance, 

 tobacco liarvested in a wet season will contain more sap than that har- 

 vested in a dry, and will take longer to cure. Therefore, the growler 

 must use his own judgment as to the process to be employed in any par- 

 ticular season, and must carefully watch the effect of his treatment on a 

 certain portion of the tobacco undergoing the cure in the shed, and be 

 guided by that. He should remember that too fast curing is much more? 

 risky than slow. Fast curing will be liable to fix the green colour in the 

 leaf, and destroy the flavour. 



Bright yellow tobaccoes are taken straight from the field to the shed in 

 America, and the plants hung on the sticks at the rate of eight or ten to 

 the stick. These are placed on the tiers 7 or 10 inches apart, and the 

 fires immediately put under. 



The following formula laid down by Mr. R. Ragland, of Virginia, 

 U.S.A., is the basis of all subsequent treatments for bright tobaccoes. The 

 heat is supplied by flues or charcoal fires, and is applied as follows : — 



1. The yellowing process requires at 90 deg. F. from twenty-four to 

 thirty hours. 



2. Fixing the colour, beginning at 100 deg. F. to 120 deg. F., over 

 sixteen to twenty hours. 



3. The curing process, 120 deg. F. to 125 deg. F., over forty-eight 

 hours. 



4. Curing the stem, 125 deg. F. to 175 deg. F., over nine or ten 

 hours ; increased at the rate of 5 deg. F. per hour. 



Between each heating process the tobacco is allowed to cool down, and 

 absorb moisture by opening tlie shed to the night air. The same treat- 

 ment has been applied to tobacco in the North-east, excepting that the 

 tobacco was scaffolded for fi\e days, with success. Our tobacco does not 

 appear to yellow in the field, as is tlie case in parts of America, and this 

 is due probably to the use here of only the richest soils, whereas there 

 only light soils are used for bright types. Should the leaf while curing 

 show moist brown spots close to the mid-rib, indicative of decay, the shed 

 should be well ventilated, or a temperature of no deg. F. will stop the 

 progress of the disea.se. This temperature will have to be raised by the 

 use of fires. 



The system in vogue in America for curing heavv dark tobacco, is to 

 .scaffold for five or six days; then, as soon as the shed is filled, to put fire.s 

 under it. The heat should not exceed 90 deg. F. for twelve hours. After 

 that it is taken up to 150 deg. F. by a gradual process. The leaf and 

 half the stem should be cured in three days and nights. Then the 

 tobacco should be allowed to become .soft by absorption of moist air, and 

 again dried out by fire. Aflt-r this the tobacco should never be allowed 

 to get very damp ; but should have slow fires put under in wet weather. 



In Victoria, the system for curing heavy dark leaf has been very much 

 the same as obtains in Kcntu< ky for chewing tobacco, that is, chieflv air 

 curing. If the weather is very dry. the shed is closed during the da v. and 

 openerl at night. Small fires are put under in wet weather, and a current 



