CURING. 79 



weather, exclude all hard winds, that will crack and 

 damage the leaves. When the leaves are so much cured, 

 that there is nothing about them green but the stem, a 

 moderate quantity of wet weather will not injure it, but 

 rather improve the colour ; as the sap of the stalk works 

 through the stems into the leaves, during moist weather 

 until the stalk has been well frozen ; after this takes place, 

 the tobacco should be picked." 



White estimates that in l ' the course of 2 or 3 weeks after 

 topping, the plants will begin to ripen, which may be 

 known by the change in colour of the leaf. It will look 

 spotted with spots of lighter green, a yellowish green. 

 When fully ripe the leaf may be folded together, and 

 moderately pressed without breaking or cracking. Now 

 is the time to begin to harvest it. All this is supposed to 

 take place before there is any appearance of frost, as a 

 very light frost often does great damage. All touched by 

 it is ruined, and good for nothing. The crop must be cut 

 and hung, even if not fully ripe, before any frosts occur. 

 If there are strong appearances of a frost, you can secure 

 the crop by cutting it down, and putting it either under 

 your sheds, or by putting it in piles, not over 1 foot deep, 

 in the field, and covering with straw. It is well to let it 

 stand, if not fully ripe, as long as it can safely, for the 

 cool nights have a tendency to thicken up the leaves. 

 The cutting is best performed with a hay-knife, with a 

 sharp, rounding point, in the following way : stand at the 

 right-hand side of the plant or row ; with the left hand 

 grasp the stalk down 2 or 3 leaves from the top and lean 

 it back on the row ; now, with the point of your cutter 

 held in the right hand 2-3 inches from the stalk, close to 



