Researchers lun e helped growers of most otlier types 

 of tobacco by providing a chemical that will inhibit 

 the growth of suckers. Not so with Perique. Louisiana 

 State University has experimented with such chemicals 

 and found that they do not work on Perique. The age- 

 old process of hand-removing suckers is still part of 

 the tedious process of producing Perique. 



"R 



abrique" to the curing barn 



A few weeks after tlie plant has been "suckered," 

 ideallv in earl\' July, the harvest begins. Known as 

 fahrique to farmers whose native tongue is French, the 

 harvest is another difficult and time consuming job. 



Early in the evening, around four o-clock, the more 

 mature plants are cut off at the base and laid on the 

 ground. The next morning, after the dew has dried 

 and the plant is limber enough to handle without 

 breakage, it is taken from the field to the curing barn. 



At the barn, a nail is driven into each stalk on an 

 angle so that it can be hung on wires running along 

 the ceiling where the air is warm and there is little 

 air flow. 



In about 12 da\s the leaves have become dry and 

 gold in color. They are taken down, stripped from the 

 stalks and beaten on barrels to remo\T dust. The 

 tobacco is then dampened by sprinkling water on the 

 leaves. This is a delicate process because too much 

 water will rot the leaves and not enough will cause 

 the tobacco to dry out and not "cure" properly. The 

 damp tobacco is then piled and allowed to soften 

 before "stemming" begins. 



