THE PREPARATION OF FARM PRODUCTS. 29 1 



her of months, the boxes are opened to determine the success 

 of the fermentation and the character of the product. 



In a different method of fermentation, adopted chiefly in 

 warmer climates, a plan is used which keeps the whole process 

 under close observation and is in this respect undoubtedly 

 superior. This method is a fermentation in open piles, and 

 can be used in colder climates only by the use of artificial 

 heat. The leaves are here piled upon each other, not too 

 tightly, and a great heap is made, some three feet high, or 

 more. This heap demands for its proper fermentation a warm, 

 moist atmosphere, such as is found in tropical and semi- 

 tropical climates. Within a short time the temperature of the 

 mass in these piles begins to rise, sometimes rising as much as 

 ten degrees a day. The temperature is allowed to rise until 

 it reaches about 125 or 130 F.; then the piles are opened 

 and the leaves heaped up again in another similar pile, care 

 being now taken to put on the inside those leaves which were 

 before on the outside. Another rise in temperature follows 

 and again, after reaching 125 F., the heaps are thrown down 

 and remade. This is repeated from five to eight times, several 

 days elapsing between the successive heapings. At the end 

 the tobacco is in the proper condition for market. The fer- 

 mentations do not necessarily end here, however. The manu- 

 facturer commonly allows the tobacco to undergo a second 

 fermentation under different conditions. The later fermenta- 

 tion is called " sweating" and brings the leaf into a better con- 

 dition for use. A further fact is of significance. After the 

 first fermentation the leaf slowly improves in quality if allowed 

 to lie for a year or so before using. All of these phenomena 

 need to be explained before our agriculturists can properly 

 handle this product to the highest advantage. 



The primary fermentation is clearly the essential process of 

 the tobacco-curing. During the fermentation some very es- 

 sential changes in the tobacco take place. The chief of these 



