FARM CROPS. 



163 



put on the earth floor of the barn, or furnaces outside 

 the barn, with flues running through it, are used to 

 dry the leaf when the air outside is so damp as to 

 threaten injury. This process of curing takes from 

 three to six weeks in the case of cigar wrapper tobacco. 

 Each of the types of leaf is cured differently, but the 

 general purpose and result are as just described. 



Sorting and Grading. W.hen the leaf has been 

 properly cured it is very brittle if dry, and cannot be 

 handled until it becomes damp in time of fog or rain. 

 Then the leaves which have become soft and pliable 

 are broken off from the stalks, or the strings of leaves 

 are cut from the laths which held them and are bun- 

 dled together for further treatment. All kinds of to- 



EXPORT TOBACCO. 



i, English olive-green strips; 2, olive-green leaf; 3, Austrian. 



