322 TOBACCO LEAF. 



the good grades must be tied in bundles containing only 

 five or six leaves. Great neatness should be observed in 

 tying the bundles. The tie leaf should be small. This 

 is taken in the right hand and smoothed out at the tail 

 end, doubled so that the inside surface of the leaf forms 

 the outside of the wrapper. A narrow band is made of 

 the leaf, not more than one inch in width. The band, 

 with the stem downward, is wrapped tightly twice 

 around the butts of the stems, and then the tie is tucked 

 between the leaves. This makes the head an inch long. 

 It differs from the tie of the seedleaf tobacco. The 

 latter is tied, with the butt of the stem an inch or more 

 below the end of the bundle. As each bundle is tied, it 

 should be run through the hands, well straightened and 

 compressed and laid carefully in piles. 



During the prevalence of dry winds or cold weather, 

 the exposed portion of tobacco, even when in bulk, 

 becomes so dry that it may not be handled without 

 doing it great injury. To prevent this, blankets, or 

 straw, or a wagon sheet, should be put all around the 

 bulk. This covering, kept damp, will prevent the 

 exposed leaves, or parts of leaves, from drying. 



By providing a close room heated by a stove, with 

 a vessel of water on top, stripping may be carried on 

 during very severe cold weather. Otherwise the tobacco 

 will become very dry and harsh and will be damaged by 

 breaking or crumbling. 



However good the order of the tobacco when hang- 

 ing up may apparently be in cold weather, it should not 

 be taken down from the tier poles, for if a warm spell of 

 weather should supervene, it is almost certain to become 

 soured or "funked." Much tobacco is damaged beyond 

 remedy by not observing this caution. Many planters, 

 by taking their product to market in a condition that it 

 will not pass the ordeal of the spring fermentation, lose 

 all their profits. Those who buy it in this condition 



