CUEING. 107 



tied up separately in bunches. With a bunch clasped 

 in one hand, take a leaf and wrap it around (beginning 

 at the end of the bunch), confining the end under the 

 first turn, continue to wrap smoothly and neatly until 

 about 3 inches of the leaf remains, then open the bunch 

 in the middle and draw the remaining part of the leaf 

 through. This forms a neat and compact 'hand,' that 

 will bear a great deal of handling without coming open. 

 After the ground-leaves have been removed, the good 

 leaves are stripped off and tied up the same as the ground- 

 leaves, with this exception : the leaves of each stalk 

 should be tied in a bunch by themselves, to preserve a 

 uniformity in colour and size, as tobacco is sold in the 

 market according to colour and size, therefore if the 

 leaves of a large and a small plant, or of a dark-coloured 

 and a light one, be tied up together, it at once diminishes 

 the appearance and value of the crop." 



Dennis describes stripping as being "performed by 

 holding the plant, top down, with the left hand, while 

 with the right hand the leaves are pulled off, taking care 

 to have the stems all even in the hand, so that the ends 

 are together. When 10-15 leaves have thus been grasped 

 by the right hand, change the handful to the left hand, 

 and with the right, select a leaf and wrap it around the 

 stems at the end, so as to bind them altogether and cover 

 up the ends, then split the other leaves apart with the 

 finger, and pull the end of your wrapping-leaf through, 

 and you have a * hand ' of tobacco. A small hand ' of 

 leaves, uniform in size and colour, will be found the most 

 desirable shape to tie it in, resembling Fig. 12. The 

 bottom leaves of the plant, and all torn and defective 



