232 Practical Farming 



Harvesting The curing houses used by the Coimecti- 



and Curing ^^^ ^^^ Pennsylvania tobacco growers are 

 Tobacco ^ ^^^y different from the rude log houses used 

 in the South for flue curing. The curing 

 being entirely air curing a proper regard must be 

 had to ventilation in the tobacco bam. This is the 

 most important matter in air curing. Prolonged dry 

 weather is dreaded by the tobacco growers after the crop 

 is in the house, for a proper degree of moisture is essential. 

 That is, there must be an alternate dampness and drying 

 to prevent too rapid a curing by prolonged dry weather. 

 On the othei hand, too much moisture induces mold, 

 while a proper amount is necessary for the complete color- 

 ing of the leaf. The tobacco house is made with a series 

 of shutters that can be closed or opened, as needed. These 

 shutters extend from the ground to the eaves on the sides 

 of the house. When there is an excess of moisture in the 

 outside air these shutters can be tightly closed. Some use 

 horizontal shutters on each tier of plants and prefer them 

 to the old style of upright shutters. An abundance of air 

 is given when the tobacco is first housed for several weeks, 

 care being taken to close when too windy and dry, and 

 opening at night to admit the moist night air. Other 

 growers keep the ventilators open night and day for two 

 weeks after the tobacco has been housed, claiming that 

 the moisture of the night air will thus regularly neutralize 

 the effect of the dry day air. This method of curing re- 

 quires about twelve weeks. After all signs of green have 

 disappeared from stalks and leaves the crop is taken 

 down when the weather is so moist that the leaves will be 

 soft enough to handle. 



