1 28 WALL 



nicotine, hence its mildness. Virginia (best manu- 

 facturing) tobacco, has five or six per cent., while 

 the stronger " shipping varieties" have about seven 

 per cent. Nicotianine, is a more volatile substance 

 than nicotine, and is more odoriferous. The pleasant 

 odor of good tobacco is due chiefly to this compound. 

 The nicotianine and nicotine do not exist in the green 

 leaf, but are formed during the curing of the tobacco, 

 from substances already in the plant. If the leaves 

 arc dried very rapidly, these compounds are not fully 

 formed ; and if the heat is raised too high in firing, 

 they may disappear to some extent. Hence, the 

 firing should be commenced at a low temperature, 

 which can be gradually increased, and may be 

 advantageously suspended at night. The temperature 

 should never rise above one hundred and thirty 

 degrees. Curing yellow tobacco with charcoal, a high 

 temperature kept up day and night, is recommended, 

 say, one hundred and fifty to one hundred and sixty 

 degrees. 



It is best to "fire" all grades of shipping tobacco, 

 and to cure it a dark nutmeg color. From twenty- 

 four to thirty- six hours after cutting, if the tobacco is 

 ripe if not, thirty -six to forty- eight hours, according 

 to the weather seems about the right time to 

 commence firing. Begin with small fires, and bring 

 the tobacco to a proper state, and then increase the 

 fires. 



SHIPPING, HANDLING, ETC. 



After the tobacco has been fully cured, the next 

 step is to strip the leaves from the stalks, and tie 

 them up in little bundles (hands), to be pressed 



