TOBACCO 541 



ing of the leaf before the color changes have taken place. It 

 will not usually be found desirable for the temperature to rise 

 above 125 F. for any length of time. . . . After the barn has 

 been fired three or four times, the leaf will require no further 

 attention, until it is desired to take the tobacco down, perhaps 

 several weeks later. 



" As a general principle, to cure tobacco light it should be 

 spread thinly in the barn and enough fires used to cause a quick 

 cure without drying the leaf too rapidly. To darken or blacken 

 tobacco, the principle is to delay the cure and not to dry off 

 excessive moisture faster than is necessary to prevent actual 

 damage. . . . Tobacco once darkened cannot be lightened 

 again ; it is possible for the manufacturer to take light tobacco 

 and darken it." 



530. Flue-curing. Most of the bright tobacco of 

 North Carolina and Virginia is flue-cured in specially 

 constructed barns, the process requiring only three or 

 four days. 



" As soon as the barn is filled with tobacco, fires should be 

 started, and the temperature raised to 90 F., where it should 

 remain for 24 to 30 hours, during which time the tobacco becomes 

 a uniformly bright yellow. Then the temperature is raised from 

 90 to 120 F., from 15 to 20 hours. This process is commonly 

 known as ' fixing the color.' The temperature may then be 

 increased gradually to 125 F., at which point it should be main- 

 tained for about 48 hours. By this time the leaves should be 

 almost, if not entirely, yellow, but the stalk will still be green. 

 In order to cure the stalk, the 'temperature can be raised to 

 175 F., at the rate of 5 an hour, where it should remain until 

 the stalks are thoroughly dried." A. D. SHAMEL in Bailey's 

 "Cyclopedia of Agriculture," Vol. II, p. 652. 



531. The air-curing of Cuban cigar tobacco in Florida. 

 Most Sumatra and Cuban cigar tobacco is subjected to 

 air-curing, as are also many other types, including White 



