STRIPPING. 



457 



removed from the threads, and made into bundles or " hands " 

 of about sixty leaves each and tied around the stems. 



After the leaves are thoroughly cured they are in condition 

 for 



STKIPPHSTG. 



The leaves of the tobacco are easily affected by the humidity 

 of the atmosphere and during damp weather every opportunity 

 is improved by the grower for taking down the tobacco prepar- 

 atory to stripping. After taking down from the poles the 

 plants should be packed in order to keep moist until stripped. 

 The tobacco should not be removed from the poles when it 

 drips or the juice exudes from either the stalk or the leaves. 

 If stripped in this condition the leaves are apt to stain and 

 thus become unfit for wrappers. The operation of stripping 

 consists in taking the leaves from the stalk and tying them in 

 bundles or hands with a leaf around the base of the hand. 



HANDS. 



Each " hand " or bunch should contain at least eight leaves 

 and from that number to twelve. If the plants are large the 

 leaves of one stalk will form a hand ; a poor leaf is used for 

 binding as it can not be used for the same purpose as the 

 leaves around which it is bound. 



The old planters of tobacco in Virginia called this operation 



