51 



to be sun-hiirned, and to be greatly injured by healing if 

 siifTcred to lie too long- in large heaps. Each of these 

 will most materially injure the crop, and they must all 

 be guarded against with utmost vigilance. The first is 

 the most difficult to be guarded against, when tobacco 

 is cut in very warm weather. 



" After it is cut, it must lie long enough to fall or ivilt, 

 so as to become sufficiently pliant to handle without 

 breaking or bruising the leaves. The hotter the weather 

 the more difficult it is to accomplish this object without 

 exposing the plants to the deteriorating effects of being 

 sun-burned. It is surprising how quickly this takes 

 place, when tobacco is exposed to the meridian rays of 

 the sun, in the month of August, or early in September. 

 The parts of the leaves which are sun-burned turn white 

 and soon become dry and crisp; and when cured, as- 

 sume a green color. The parts thus affected are com- 

 pletely ruined, having lost all the qualities of good 

 tobacco. To guard against this casualty, when tobacco 

 is cut early in the season, the operation should be per- 

 formed in the morning, or so late in the evening, that 

 the sun will not have power enough to injure it. Cut- 

 ting, both in the morning and evening, may be practiced 

 as convenience may dictate, and may be managed as 

 follows : The planter may commence cutting in the 

 morning, taking care to cut onl}^ so much as he can se- 

 cure before the sun has acquired sufficient power to 

 injure it. 



" When the cutting is completed and the plants have 

 fallen sufficiently, he should commence piling it in heaps 

 with the butts towards the sun, taking care to handle 

 the plants gently, holding them by the butts, and avoid- 

 ing any pressure upon the leaves. By handling them 

 thus, and laying them as lightly as possible in heaps, 

 this process may be performed before the tobacco has 

 completely fallen. The heaping should alway commence 

 with the plants first cut, so that they may, as nearly as 

 practicable, be exposed to the sun's rays an equal por- 

 tion of time, or in equal degree, and should so progress 

 till the whole is heaped. The stems of the tobacco are 



