CURING. 109 



large crop to pick, to take off the leaves during damp or 

 wet weather, tie them into bundles of 15-20 lb,, with 

 twine, and pack it away into cellars, or wherever it can 

 be" kept without drying up. It can then be assorted in 

 any kind of weather, thus gaining considerable time, as 

 two will pick and tie up in this way as much during one 

 wet spell as 6 hands would, assorting and hanking up, at 

 the same time. Another reason why the last practice is 

 preferable is, that, by the former, the assorting can be 

 biit indifferently done ; whereas, by the last, it can be 

 done as carefully as desired. Tobacco should not be 

 allowed to get too wet before picking ; in fact, should not 

 be allowed to get wet at all, so as to feel wet, only just 

 damp enough to make the leaves pliable, so as to handle 

 and pack without breaking or feeling husky. If allowed 

 to get wet, before picking, it is next to impossible to get 

 it dried to the proper state again so uniformly but that 

 some of the leaves will still be too wet, while others will 

 be dry enough to crack and break. So if the rains are 

 long enough to get it too wet, which they often are, by 

 all means let it remain upon the poles until the next wet 

 spell." 



Sorting. — Tobacco intended for smoking should be care- 

 fully sorted when stripped. There should be four sorts : 

 1st, large, equally good coloured, untom leaves ; 2nd, 

 leaves of good size and colour, but torn ; Srd, leaves of 

 inferior colour, and bottom leaves ; 4th, refuse, shrivelled- 

 up leaves, &c., to which may be added the suckers 

 No. 1 leaves, when thin, elastic, and of good sorts, are 

 mostly valued as wrappers (outside covers) for cigars. 

 No. 2 may also be used as wrappers, but are less valued 



