The dark heavy wrappers and fillers may need reordering before the 

 fermentation is complete, in which case they are dipped and put aside 

 for twenty-four hours before being rebulked. 



W hen the fermentation is completed, if it is not convenient to open 

 the bulk to assort and pack the tobacco, the bulk should be torn down 

 and rebuilt, in which condition the tobacco should keep for months 

 without injury. 



THE FERMENTATION IN BULK OF SOME CONNECTICUT TOBACCO. 



In January, 1899, an attempt was made, in cooperation with the Con- 

 necticut (State) Experiment Station, to ferment some of the Connect- 

 icut tobacco in bulk according to the Florida method. The results 

 were fairly satisfactory, considering the general character of the crop 

 of that particular season. In December, 1899, the attempt was again 

 made, in cooperation with the experiment station as before, but in a 

 much more thorough manner. The results have been highly satis- 

 factory, not only to ourselves, but to some of the largest and best 

 informed packers and cigar manufacturers of New York, New Haven, 

 and Hartford. 



The entire crop from the experimental field at Poquonock, amounting 

 to about 3,000 pounds of all grades of good leaf and about 1,900 pounds 

 of trash tobacco from the sorting of several crops, were taken to the 

 basement of the laboratory of the experiment station at New Haven, 

 where a room had been fitted up for the fermentation. Steam heat 

 was provided to maintain the room temperature at from 75 to 85 F., 

 and a high relative humidity was maintained by allowing steam to 

 escape into the room. 



A platform, about 6 feet wide and 12 feet long with bulkheads at 

 either end, was provided, the whole being covered with burlap. The 

 platform was raised about 3 or 4 inches from the floor. The trash 

 tobacco was made quite wet by sprinkling with warm water and then 

 put into a conical pile in the fermenting room. It was allowed to 

 remain for twenty -four hours. By this time all the water had been 

 absorbed by the tobacco and there was no sign of water stain. The 

 pile was turned and again covered with woolen and rubber blankets in 

 order that the fermentation which had already set in might develop. 

 The following table shows the temperature of the inside of the pile* 



This hot trash was then used in the construction of the bulk, as will 

 be described. 



