CURING. 131 



another pass the tobacco to him, one hand at a time, 

 taking care not to shake it out, bxit put in the box as it 

 comes from bulk, with the butt of the hand next the end 

 of the box. Place close and press with the knee firmly ; 

 lay alternate courses at each end, and if the tobacco is not 

 long enough to lap sufficiently to fill the centre, put a 

 few hands crosswise in the centre. When the box is full, 

 place it under a lever ; have a follower, which is a cover 

 made of inch boards, nailed to two pieces of scantling and 

 made to fit inside of the box ; lay this on the tobacco, and 

 build with blocks of scantling on it of a sufficient height 

 for the lever to be clear of the box when pressed. Press 

 down firmly with a strong lever, and, while kneeing in 

 another box full, let the lever remain, so that the tobacco 

 gets set in the box. When ready, take the lever off and 

 fill up as before, about 6 inches higher than the box ; press 

 it below the top of the box, take oif your lever and nail 

 on the top as quickly as possible. Some use tobacco- 

 presses for packing, which are perhaps more convenient ; 

 they are of various patterns, but a lever saves the expense 

 of a press and is in the reach of all. If tobacco is sold at 

 the shed, it should be sold before packing, being easier 

 examined in bulk than box." 



Mitjen is of opinion that, " except in cases where the 

 extraordinary size of the leaves will not permit it, all the 

 bales should be made up of 80 ' manojos ' ; but in the 

 former case 60 of the first classes of the first quality will 

 be sufficient. The fixed number of 80 manojos is con- 

 venient for making calculations. We have already said 

 that the day following that on which the manojos were 

 tied up, they should be packed in bales, so as not to allow 



K 2 



