60 



are put on the girts about fourteen inches apart. In 

 this way the whole building is filled. Skill is now de- 

 manded to regulate the ventilation until the crop is 

 cured, which is determined by examining the stem in 

 the leaf, which should be hard, up to the main stalk. 

 Then in damp weather the tobacco can be taken down 

 and laid in piles, with the tips together to keep it from 

 drying, and to secure this, cover over with boards. 



" The next thing is the removal of the leaves from the 

 stalks, taking this time to separate the broken leaves 

 from the unbroken ones. They are then made into par- 

 cels of sixteen or eighteen, called 'hands,' and are fas- 

 tened by winding a leaf around them. Pile these hands 

 tips on tips, the square ends out. This preserves the 

 moisture. The pile should be kept covered with boards, 

 and the sides also covered, leaving the wound ends of 

 hands exposed to the air. If everything up to this point 

 has been skillfully done, in four or five days the tobacco 

 will be fit to pack in cases, and taken to market. The 



Hanging Tobacco on the poles. 



cases should be of pine, two feet six inches square, by 

 three feet eight inches, and of inch lumber. Place the 

 hands tips on tips, and the wound ends against the ends 

 of the box, press with a lever or screw until 400 pounds 

 is in, then fasten on the top. The tobacco now goes 

 through the sweating process, and will lose about ten 

 per cent, in weight before fit for use. This tobacco is 



