37 



tobacco remains in this condition for 30 to 40 days. Then 

 the leaves are taken off the laths and are sorted accord- 

 ing to their length, their colour and their fineness ; next, 

 they are bound in bundles of 40 to 50 leaves, which are 

 transported to the fermentation-shed. In these sheds, most 

 of which are constructed of stone and covered with zinc, 

 the tobacco undergoes the last manipulation consisting 

 of fermenting, selection and pressing of the bales. 



The fermentation is done by putting the tobacco 

 in piles on a wooden floor. In the beginning the fermen- 

 tation-process is very quick, and therefore the piles are very 

 small and contain only from 6 to 10 lbs. of tobacco. 

 After a few da3's the piles are made loose and increased 

 until by tlie end of the fermentation time they contain 

 60 or 80 thousand lbs. In making the piles, perforated cases 

 of bamboo are laid in them to hold thermometers, so that 

 at any moment the increase of temperature inside the 

 piles ma}' be ascertained and thus the piles can be made 

 loose at the proper time. And this is very necessary, as 

 the temperature of tobacco may increase in a single day 

 to such a pitch as to cause fire. 



If the temperature remains the same as that of out- 

 side the fermentation is finished. The tobacco is taken 

 off the piles and is once more sorted. 



When the tobacco has been pressed to bales of 

 150 to 200 lbs. and sewn into mats, it is ready for ship- 

 ment. 



