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inferior sorts appear to be merely made up into bundles and 

 subjected to the alternate action of sun's rays by day and of 

 the dews at night." Vide Collector of Nadia's report, 1874. 



646. Method of curing in Tirhut. " Plants are allowed 

 to be on the ground as cut, for a day or two ; they are then 

 carried to some grassy spot and laid out to catch the sun 

 during the day, and the dew at night, being turned daily. 

 After this has gone on for eight or ten days, every third or 

 fourth day the plants are stacked together till they get heated, 

 when they are again spread out to cool. If at this time the 

 dew is thought not sufficient to cool the plant, at evening 

 time a little water is scattered over the leaves as they lie ; 

 this goes on for 20 days or more. The plants are then 

 brought into cover and stacked ; they are changed every third 

 or fourth day, the top going to the bottom, and so on. It is 

 important now to prevent them getting over-heated : if the 

 leaves show a tendency to get crisp, the leaves are covered 

 with plantain leaves or damp grass, over which is put a 

 blanket to make the heap sweet. The leaves are then sepa- 

 rated by khurpi or huswa from the stem. They are then tied, 

 five or six together with strips of date leaves and piled 

 together. These piles are again watched carefully till it is 

 evident that the leaves will not heat any more. They are 

 then tied up in bundles of 4 maunds each, wrapped round 

 with a straw, and are then fit for the market ; if not imme- 

 diately sold, they are stowed away in some dry place. If 

 the leaves are not of a good colour, the cultivator may, be 

 fore opening them for sale, get a little good tobacco, boil it 

 and sprinkle the juice over them after the last process of 

 drying ; but this is more a trick of trade than a method 

 of curing, which being really nothing more than a careful 

 alternative of heat and moisture, no extraneous matter being 

 introduced." Vide Collector of Tirhut's report, 1874. 



647. Seeding. The best plants are set aside for seeding. 

 They are not topped like others, but the side shoots and 



