TOBACCO AND ITS CULTURE. 151 



understands the art of sorting and packing in cases, it is 

 better for him to dispose of it in the bundle, if he can at a 

 fair price, as then the buyer can assort it to suit himself. 



What is called " table sorting" is the process of looking 

 it over leaf by leaf, and is done by the growers to a consider- 

 able extent in the leisure months of winter. The bundles 

 are then taken to a warm room, usually one fitted for the 

 purpose, with a good, strong light ; a room of northerly ex- 

 posure is better, because of the light being more even, and 

 because of the absence of the direct rays of the sun. In 

 sorting, the leaves are placed in three or four classes, as 

 their quality may require. These classes are called "per- 

 fects" or " first wrappers," " second wrappers," " seconds," 

 and " fillers." The " second wrappers" may include leaves 

 of desirable quality, but imperfect, having been torn in 

 handling, or from some other cause. These different 

 classes are each tied into hands. There is a tendency to 

 make these hands too large, as it requires less time, but for 

 the best wrappers or " selections," fourteen leaves are enough 

 for a hand. These hands should be uniform in size, and the 

 butts of the leaves should be placed together evenly, the 

 band put around within a half-inch of the butt end. The 

 band should be wound three or four times, and the end 

 tucked in between the leaves neatly ; the end of the hand 

 should be then squeezed together with the left hand, the 

 leaves draAvn together with the right, and laid straight in the 

 pile. 



For the tying bands, the smallest leaves should be selected 

 from the " seconds," during the operation of sorting. 

 These bands should not be ragged, nor too large, as large 

 bands will give the hand a buni2:lino; look. For casing the 

 crop, cases should be procured, of a length adapted to the 

 crop, to the size or length of the leaves or hands. The 

 case should be what is called " open end," or cracks between 

 each board of the end should be left in nailing together, 

 one-eighth of an inch in width. This is for the purpose of 

 ventilating the butts, while the tobacco is going through the 

 sweating process. 



When the hands of tobacco are laid in the case, there 

 should be some short boards, one-half inch in thickness (as 



