RIPENING AND CURING OF TOBACCO. 315 



plants. This is done as soon as the flower buds appear. 

 These are pinched off with the small leaves at the top of the 

 stalk. From 8 to 14 leaves are left to grow. The small 

 varieties, especially the bright yellow kinds, or the finer 

 textured wrappers, and the Oronoko and Persian tobacco 

 used for cutting for cigarettes, are topped at 8 or 10 leaves. 

 The larger kinds have 10 to 14 leaves left upon the stalks. 

 After this work has been done the constant care of the 

 planter is exercised in keeping the suckers pinched, and re- 

 moving any later flower buds which may appear. All this 

 care tends to throw the whole strength of the plant into the 

 leaves, and not only to increase the size, but to improve 

 their texture and substance. At this stage of the plant, the 

 watchfulness of the planter is redoubled, to save the leaves 

 from the worms, and to remove any of them which may be- 

 come rusted, and the lowest ones which may be in the way 

 of cutting. 



When the leaves are fully grown, the ripening stage is 

 w r atched with care lest the leaves become too ripe. As soon 

 as they begin to turn yellow, the time to cut the plants has 

 arrived. This is done by severing the stalks near the 

 ground and below the lowest leaves with a sharp knife. 

 The stalk is first pierced with the point of the blade and 

 slit for the length of several inches to facilitate the curing. 

 The plants are then strung upon a stout lath until it is full, 

 and the lath and the plants are placed in a rack to be car- 

 ried to the curing house. This is a substantial building, 

 protected from the weather, but provided with numerous 

 ventilators for admitting or excluding air, when the 

 curing is done without fire heat. When fire heat is 

 made use of, the house is provided with a few ventilators 

 for regulating the temperature, and with a fire place, and 

 flues traversing the lower part of the building, for raising 

 the temperature to a sufficient degree. The tobacco here 

 undergoes a process of drying; after which the curing is 

 completed by bulking the leaves, stripped from the stalk 

 and bound by their pedicels or stems into bundles or bands 

 of a dozen or thereabouts. These bundles are placed in 



