454: YELLOW TOBACCO. 



tobacco, and this degree of heat should be continued until 

 the leaf opens a lemon color, and is nearly free from any 

 green hue. When this point is reached, the heat should 

 be gradually raised to 105 in order to commence drying the 

 leaf, and here lies the whole difficulty in curing (I mean 

 in drying the leaf). The last degree of heat indicated, 

 should be continued five or six hours, when it should again 

 be gradually raised to 110 C , when it should be maintained 

 at this point, until the tail or points of the leaves begin 

 to curl and dry. Indeed it will probably be safest for begin- 

 ners to continue this degree of heat until one-third of the 

 leaf is dried. 



" The temperature may then be gradually increased to 115, 

 and kept for several hours at that point, until the leaf begins 

 to rattle when shaken, then again raise the heat to 120 fi , at 

 which point it should be continued until the leaf is dried, 

 after which the temperature may be increased to 150 Q or 

 160 Q to dry the stem and stalks ; the latter should be black- 

 ened by the heat before the curing is complete. Ordinarily 

 it requires from two and a half to five days to cure a barn 

 of tobacco, dependent entirely upon the size and quality. 

 Put seven or eight plants on each stick and place them eight 

 inches apart on tier poles. In the yellowing process the door 

 of the barn should be kept closed to exclude the air. 

 When this point is reached for drying the leaf, the door may 

 be opened occasionally, and kept open for twenty or thirty 

 minutes at a time, especially if the tobacco gets into a " sweat," 

 as it is called, or becomes damp and clammy. 



" The temperature is raised in the barn by cautiously add- 

 ing coal from time to time to the fires, which should be 

 placed in small piles on the floor, in rows, allowing about 

 five feet between each pile, which should at first contain a 

 double handful of coal. In adding coal, you will soon learn 

 the quantity necessary to be applied by the effect produced. 

 Avoid raising the heat hastily after the drying is commenced, 

 lest the leaf should be scalded and reddened ; on the other 

 hand, it should not be raised too slowly for fear of ' raising 

 the grain,' or the leaf becoming spongy and dingy. Both 

 extremes are to be avoided, and the skill required is attained 

 only by experience and observation. We usually cut tobacco 

 the latter part of the week, house it and suffer it to remain 

 until the first of next week, that we may not violate the 

 fourth commandment." 



In California tobacco is cured by the method known as 



