CULTUKE OF CIGAR LEAF. 431 



it. The tobacco is packed in bundles, or small bales, 

 and carried to the local assorting place, where it is 

 unpacked and assorted into grades, according to the 

 color, texture, length and condition of the leaf. When 

 tobacco is packed, it is very important that it should be 

 at the proper degree of pliability. If too dry, great 

 damage is done to the leaf by breakage, and the best 

 wrappers may be ruined when handled dry. On the 

 other hand, if there is too much moisture in the leaf, a 

 fermentation will be produced, so excessive as to destroy 

 the vitality of the tobacco and produce a mold that 

 imparts a disagreeable odor. Good judgment is required 

 at this stage. If bulked in cold weather, the amount 

 of water is often greatly underestimated and if warm 

 weather comes on, danger ensues. There is no danger, 

 whatever, if the stems are thoroughly dried out when 

 the tobacco is taken down from the poles. 



Casing or Boxing, When cased, the boxes for 

 wrappers are 36 inches long and 28 inches square at the 

 head, and 36 or 38 inches long by 28 inches for seconds 

 and fillers. The tobacco must be packed in these boxes, 

 so that the ends of the hands stand from one to two 

 inches from the side of the box. The quantity in each 

 box runs about 300 to 350 pounds for wrappers, 325 

 pounds for seconds and 300 pounds for fillers. It 

 usually requires quite a good deal of pressure, Fig. 122, 

 to get the box full. It is best to leave the casing to the 

 middlemen, unless the business is well understood. 



Sweating. The later fermentation, or "sweating," 

 process is generally done by the dealers. It ^usually 

 comes after assorting and casing. The tobacco is 

 packed, or cased, and allowed to remain ; as the weather 

 grows warmer, the sweating begins and continues for 

 many weeks. In this time the tobacco becomes warm, 

 reaching 100 F., and sometimes more. During the 

 sweat, the boxes are piled one on another on their sides, 



