PEODUCTION AND COMMEKCE. 221 



We can only say of this operation, as of all others con- 

 nected with the production of tobacco, that much depends 

 on its proper doing, and that, as much as possible, it 

 should have the personal superintendence of the owner. 



" But the crop may have been brought along successfully 

 even to the completion of this operation and 'lack one 

 thing yet,' if it be not now properly manipulated. 



" Therefore, go yourself, brother planter, into your barns, 

 see with your own eyes, and not through the medium of 

 others ; handle with your own hands, and knoio of a 

 surety that the tobacco hanging on the tier-poles is in 

 proper order for ' striking ' and ' bulking,' and act accord- 

 ingly. 



" When, later on, it is being * stripped,' * sorted,' and 

 tied into bundles, or ' hands,' as they are often called, be 

 there again, propria persona, to see that it is properly 

 classed, both as to colour and to length, the ' lugs ' going 

 with lugs, the ' short ' with short, the ' long ' with long, 

 &c. Instruct those sorting that when in doubt as to 

 where a particular leaf should be put, to put it at least one 

 grade lower than they had thought of doing. Thus any 

 error will be on the safe side. 



"Prize in hogsheads to weigh what is usually called 

 for in the market in which you sell, and, above all, ' let 

 the tobacco in each hogshead be as near alike as possible, 

 uniform throughout, so that the ' sample,' from whatever 

 point it may be taken, can be relied on as representing the 

 whole hogshead,' and that there be left no shadow of 

 suspicion that ' nesting ' has been attempted, or any 

 dishonest practice even so much as winked at. 



" We sum up the whole matter by repeating : 



