108 



TOBACCO. 



FIG. 12. 



leaves, should be tied up by themselves, and are known 

 as lugs.' These hands ' should be ' bulked ' again, with 

 the wrapped end out, and covered with straw, or any- 

 thing that will retain the ' case,' and if subject to imme- 

 diate sale, may be boxed up or hauled to market. If 

 boxed, it should be put in tight 

 boxes if hauled, it should be 

 kept covered until unloaded. 

 Care must be taken to avoid 

 'high case' extreme dampness 

 or softness in bulking tobacco 

 after it is stripped as it may 

 be ' funked ' in bulk, and 

 ruined ; and it should not be 

 packed in that condition when 

 it is liable to remain long. It 

 is a crop that is never off of 

 hands." 



According to Perry Hull, 

 stripping, or, as he terms it r 

 " picking, " should not take 

 place till about December; 

 " at least not until the fat stems 

 (main stems of the leaves, which 

 are not thoroughly cured at 



the butt-end) have mostly or all disappeared, which 

 they will have done by that time, if the crop reached 

 maturity before harvesting. The operations of picking 

 and assorting are by many, who make only two classes or 

 qualities of the tobacco, carried on at the same time. By 

 far the preferable way is, especially if there is a very 



Hand of Tobacco. 



