PERIQUE TOBACCO. 373 



as the season advances. There is no essential difference 

 in the manner of suckering and worming the crop 

 between the growers of Perique and the growers of other 

 types. 



Harvesting begins about the last of June, and it is 

 deemed highly important that the cutting of the plant 

 should be preceded by copious dews, that appear to give 

 a great activity to the secreting organs in storing up the 

 rich juices and gums in the vesicular system that give 

 flavor and strength to the cured product. The plants, 

 without having the stalks split, are cut with a hatchet 

 during the hottest part of the day, about three inches 

 above the ground, leaving two or three leaves bespat- 

 tered with dirt on the stump. Hands stand ready to 

 take the tobacco to a shed as fast as it is cut. No 

 tobacco sticks are used. Small pieces of cane are sharp- 

 ened and one is driven into each plant of tobacco near 

 tbe end where it was severed, giving the cane such an 

 angle with the stalk as to form a hook. The plants are 

 suspended by these hooks upon ropes stretched one foot 

 apart longitudinally in the shed, as shown in Fig. 110. 

 As the plants wilt, they are pushed up closer together. 

 No artificial heat is used in curing. 



As rapidly as the leafy part of the leaves become 

 embrowned, without waiting for the midrib to be cured, 

 the plants are taken down from the ropes and the leaves 

 pulled from the stalk. The first leaves are taken off in 

 about ten days after the tobacco is put in the shed. 

 After this two or three leaves are taken from the stalk, 

 at intervals of a few days, until the stalk is bare. The 

 stem or midrib, often green, is taken out immediately 

 after the leaves are pulled from the stalk, and these 

 "strips," or half -leaves, are made into loose twists, 

 some 15 or 20 leaves being put together. A dozen, or 

 more, of these twists are packed in a box 11 inches 

 square, with a capacity of holding 50 pounds. 



