CUBING. 75 



speared. It dries out quicker by being split, but the 

 substance evaporates instead of remaining in the leaf. I 

 am not certain that it injures the taste of the tobacco, but 

 I am certain that split tobacco is lighter than that which 

 is speared. Some prefer hanging the tobacco on scaffolds 

 in the field until it is ready to be put in the barn and 

 cured by fire. But it is the safest to house it as soon as 

 it is strung on the sticks. Scaffolding is done by placing 

 poles on forks, about 4 feet apart, and 4-5 feet from the 

 ground ; then hang the tobacco between the poles, letting 

 the ends of the sticks rest on the poles. This procedure 

 is unsafe, for the rain may come and saturate the tobacco 

 and wash off the gum, thus making it light and chaffy." 



The maturity of tobacco is defined by Schneider as 

 when the leaves, which have hitherto been green, on 

 holding them " against the sun, show yellowish, reddish, 

 or brownish spots, feel sticky, and when bent break off 

 short and clean. Before this period sets in, the drying- 

 house should be in good order. This house is built to give 

 room for the free hanging up of the tobacco, so that it is 

 protected from the sun, wind, and rain, and is allowed to 

 dry by the free circulation of the air. Any building, 

 therefore, will answer which has a good roof, boarded 

 sides, and enough windows and air-holes (which can be 

 closed at will) to keep up a mild circulation of air inside, 

 and also to keep out strong and too quick drying winds. 

 If the tobacco is grown on a large scale, the house should 

 have large doorways to drive a waggon in and out. There 

 must be sticks all over the house, either cross or length- 

 wise, and these sticks must be ready and in their places. 

 Now the work of harvesting the crop is commenced on a 



