CURING. 105 



water in the shed. If this cannot be done, the tobacco 

 must remain hanging until there is damp weather. Under 

 no condition should the tobacco be stripped when not 

 pliant, that is if the leaves are so brittle that they would 

 break when bent or rolled. The best3iTa£^ement_is^jto 

 keep the drjing-.shed and stripping-room separate, since 

 the latter requires to be more moist than the former. A 

 cellar under the drying-shed is best suited for stripping. 

 It should be large enough to admit of the erection of a 

 scaffold to receive the tobacco. 



Pursley looks upon strijDping as being labour suited to 

 damp weather. He says, " the lugs, shipping, and manu- 

 facturing, which are worst, medium, and best qualities, 

 should be separated at stripping. The ' lugs,' or worst 

 quality, are found at the bottom of the plant ; they are 

 chafi'y and light leaves, and should be stripped from the 

 stalk and tied in bundles by themselves with all of the 

 ragged, black, and injured leaves. The second quality, 

 or ' shipping tobacco,' is a grade above the lugs ; it is 

 the red or brown tobacco ; this should also be tied in 

 separate bundles. The best, or ' manufacturing,' is the 

 finest and brightest leaves, and should be put in bundles 

 by itself. In stripping, the stems of the leaves should 

 be broken off as close as possible to the stalk ; this 

 adds to the weight of the tobacco. In forming a bundle, 

 the butts of the leaves should be placed evenly, and 

 closely together, and pressed tightly in the hand ; then 

 a leaf should be folded to form a wrapper 2 inches in 

 width ; then wrap it tightly and smoothly around the 

 butts of the leaves, winding it from the end down, about 

 2^ inches, then open the bundle in the middle, and tuck 



