STRIPPING AND GRADING TOBACCO 471 



hung in the barn, to prevent the leaves from sticking together. 

 Good ventilation at the sides and top must be provided. 



Ordinarily, the tobacco is air-cured, though in damp 

 seasons some artificial heat may be necessary. In dry 

 weather, the ventilators are left open day and night. On 

 damp days, they should ordinarily be open during the day, 

 though they may be closed at night. If the air is very damp, 

 the ventilators may be kept closed for as long as forty-eight 

 hours, or until the saturation point is indicated by the ''sweat- 

 ing" of the tobacco. They must then be opened and char- 

 coal fires built to create a circulation of air, else ''houseburn" 

 and discoloration of the leaves may result. It is then said to 

 be fire-cured. When cured in close quarters with higher 

 degrees of heat, it is said to be flue-cured. Two months are 

 ordinarily required for curing, though the process may be 

 completed in less time if artificial heat is used. Rapid curing, 

 however, is likely to produce poor color. 



642. Stripping and Grading. Moist days during the 

 winter are usually selected for stripping, or removing the 

 leaves from the stalks. In some localities, the tobacco is 

 removed to a damp cellar before stripping. When the leaves 

 contain sufficient moisture, they may be handled without 

 cracking or breaking. Much depends on having the leaves 

 in proper "case"; that is, in having them contain just enough 

 moisture to handle readily. If too dry or ''going out of 

 case," they will continue to dry out when bulked and will 

 become brittle; while, if they are too moist or in "too high 

 case," they will become very dark when in bulk. 



The leaves are sorted into from three to five grades as 

 they are stripped, the number of grades depending on the 

 type of tobacco and the use which is to be made of it. These 

 grades have different names in the different types, and vary 

 materially in their market value. The central leaves on the 

 stalks usually go in the best grade. After the leaves are 

 graded, they are tied in small bundles and these into larger 



