As the leaves are picked from the plants, they are 

 strung on sticks about four and a half feet long and 

 hung on tiers in the curing barn. The conventional 

 barn is wooden, about 16 by 24 feet inside and any- 

 where from 16 to 20 feet high. After the barn is filled 

 with tobacco, heat is forced in through flues usually 

 fueled by oil or gas burners. 



After a few days of continuous care, the leaves will 

 have yellowed. The temperature is then gradually in- 

 creased to around 170 degrees to "fix the color" and dry 

 the leaves, after which the barn doors and ventilators 



Bright tobacco being unloaded from a harvester for 

 transport to the curing barn 



