6 1 8 THE FARMERS HANDBOOK. 



As soon as the stem and stalk of the tobacco have dried, and the atmos- 

 pheric conditions will permit, the leaves should be stripped from the stalk, 

 and made into "hands." Each hand should consist of twelve leaves, and 

 should be made by binding the stem-butts with a leaf tightly and neatly 

 passed twice around them, and by opening the hand in the centre and 

 pulling the end of the binder through. 



When stripping from the stalks, opportunity should be taken to sort the 

 leaves into three classes, No. 1 containing only leaves that are of good bright 

 or yellow colour, and undamaged, No. 2 containing the leaves that are 

 reddish-brown and undamaged, and No. 3 containing dark leaves, such as 

 are damaged and would not fall within either of the other two classes. 



While not necessary with Hue-cured tobacco, in the case of leaf that has 

 been air-dried the hands should be re-hung on the sticks, and given as much 

 sun as possible for a few weeks on a scaffold close to the shed. Care should 

 be taken not to put out more stocks at one time than can be removed to 

 cover at the approach of rain After each lot of sticks has been " sunned," 

 they should be hung in the shed for a further period of about two months, 

 after which the hands should be bulked down, each in its own class, for 

 some six weeks at the beginning of the warm weather. 



Bulking Down. 



For bulking the hands, the leaf should not be moist, but in such condition 

 that the tips can be squeezed together without breaking, and that a slight 

 shaking will release one from the other. Opportunity should also be taken 

 of straightening out the hands to improve their appearance before putting 

 into bulk. Leaves with " fat stems " (stems not dried out) should not on 

 any account be included in the bulk, or mould will very quickly appear. 



" Bulks " are made by placing two rows of hands, overlapping by about 

 one-third of their length, with the butts outward. The height should not 

 be less than 4 feet. The length will be determined by the amount of leaf 

 to be treated. The larger the bulk, the less it will be affected by outside 

 climatic influences. 



Growers are advised to cover each bulk as it is completed with blankets 

 or tarpaulins, and to place weights on top, the object being to conserve the 

 heat and moisture, and to avoid the drying out of the leaf. The prime 

 cause of mould is the bulk becoming moistened and chilled, and every pre- 

 caution should be taken against this. The bulk should be placed on boards 

 well off the ground, so that air may circulate freely underneath. 



Each bulk should be carefully examined every day, and if one is found to 

 be too warm it should be broken down, and after each hand has been well 

 shaken and lightly aired, should be rebuilt, those hands which were formerly 

 in the centre being placed on the outside, the outside layers in the centre, 

 and the lower layers on the top. 



Leaf that has been through the bulking process satisfactorily shows an 

 absence of gumminess, and also the presence of crystals, which, though 

 minute, can be seen when the leaf is held up to the light. 



