On the Culture of Tobacco. - 431 



In reducing very strong tobacco, I found it necessary to per- 

 mit the heat to ascend to 126°. In 60 hours, I found the 

 heat had attained 110°; and, in 72 hours, 126 Q ; but the 

 general range of the second fermentation was from 120° to 

 125? Fahrenheit. In some cases I had to resort to a third 

 fermentation of the same tobacco, but the heat did not rise 

 beyond 90°. Upon this important point of fermentation, or 

 sweating the tobacco, I have given the result of my practice. 

 For greater accuracy, and the ?;enefit of the inexperienced, 

 I have given it from a thermometer ; but, at the same time, 

 the hand and feeling of a practised overseer can direct the 

 process. As soon as the tobacco has been perfectly dried, by 

 exposure to the sun and the weather, it is still necessary to 

 dry any remaining moisture in the midribs, for which purpose 

 they must be packed so as to be outside, that the air may have 

 its influence upon them. When they are perfectly dry and 

 hard, the tobacco may be considered as fit for use, although 

 it will possess more or less of crudeness, until the month of 

 March following. To correct this crudity, or any acrimony 

 that may exist, different preparations are used in different 

 countries. In Brazil, the leaves are steeped in a decoction of 

 tobacco and gum copal. In Virginia, I understand they 

 sprinkle the tobacco, in the packing process, with a decoction 

 of the green tobacco stems, or a decoction of hay, v i h ;i small 

 portion of molasses : the effect of this innocent application is 

 to soften and improve the flavour, darken the colour of the 

 tobacco, and render it, in appearance, a more merchantable 

 commodity. The next and last operation is, to tie the leaves 

 in hands, and pack them in bales or portable packages." (p. 

 166.) 



Improvements in the curing Process. — Some of Mr. Brodigan's 

 tobacco, he informs us, only wanted age to be as good as 

 Virginia. Tobacco improves by a sea voyage, as it undergoes 

 a certain degree of fermentation in the hogsheads in the spring 

 or summer months. Drying-houses, heated by flu:s or steam, 

 as now erected in America, he thiuks, would be an improve- 

 ment in Ireland. Captain Basil Hall visited a tobacco planta- 

 tion on James's River, and found the house, in which the hands 

 were hungup, with fires of wood made upon the earthen floor. 

 The flavour of the wood burnt in this way, Mr. Brodigan 

 states, is now strongly percep ible in the tobacco of late 

 years imported from America. 



As suggestions derived from considering what we have read 

 and observed on the subject of cultivating and curing tobacco, 

 we submit the following: — When a farmer, who thoroughly un- 

 derstands -ind successfully practises the Northum <>< Hand mode 

 of cultivating turnips, intends growing tobacco as a field crop, 

 we would recommend him to prepare the soil exactly as for 



