220 



The World's Commercial Products 



A CIGARETTE-TOBACCO EXPERT 



do not all ripen at the same time, the 

 lower ones ripening first, and it is owing 

 to this fact that we have two methods of 

 harvesting. The commoner method is to 

 cut the whole plant down as soon as the 

 middle leaves are sufficiently ripe, and, 

 after they have wilted, to cart them to 

 the curing barn. For the production of 

 the finer grades of cigar leaf, however, 

 and also for much of the Bright Leaf 

 tobacco, the leaves are picked or 

 " primed " one, by one as they become 

 ripe. They are then placed in baskets 

 and at once carted to the curing barn. 

 When the "stalk-cutting" system is 

 adopted, the stems are strung on to a 

 "curing stick" about four feet long, 

 which is thrust through the ends of the 

 stems, or the stems are split in half from 



the top nearly to the base and then placed astride the sticks ; and 

 in this condition they are hauled to the curing barn. In the case of 

 the primed leaves the latter are threaded on to a string when they 

 arrive at the barn, and then tied to sticks upon which they hang 

 during the curing process. 



Within recent years a great deal of attention has been paid to 

 the cultivation of the more valuable classes of tobacco under 

 artificial shade. The method originated in 

 Florida, where it was found that Sumatra 

 tobacco, when grown under the shade of trees, 

 produced a more satisfactory leaf. Artificial 

 shading of the fields was then tried, posts being 

 erected at regular intervals and. arranged to 

 support light wooden laths above. From Florida 

 the idea extended to Connecticut,, and now the 

 practice is adopted in Cuba and Porto Rico. 

 The shading is generally.: obtained by the sub- 

 stitution of a cotton cloth instead of wooden 

 laths. The results are very striking ; the yield 

 of leaf is greatly increased largely owing to the 

 regularity of temperature and humidity, and also 

 to the fact that these two factors are maintained 

 more or less constant during the night. The 

 plants are also protected from the effects of the 

 weather, and that the method is a success is 

 proved* by the enormous profits of the planters 

 who have adopted it. 



The tobacco plant is subject to the attacks 

 of many insect and fungus pests, and space 

 does not permit of more than a brief reference to 

 the more important. The very young plants are 

 attacked by " cutworms," which eat through the 



A TURKISH PIPE-MAKER S WORKSHOP 



