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BULLETIN 16, U. S. DEPARTMENT OP AGRICULTURE. 



In seasons of normal growth, under the conditions existing in the 

 Old Belt, when all the leaves of the plant mature at approximately 

 the same time, quite likely the crop may be most economically and 

 satisfactorily harvested by cutting the entire plant at one time. But 

 when, as in 1912, a prolonged drought causes the bottom leaves to 

 turn yellow and waste away while the top leaves are still quite green, 

 there can be no question that it is much better to prime off the 

 leaves as they ripen, as was actually done by many growers. If 

 priming had been universally followed in that year, undoubtedly it 

 would have saved many thousands of dollars to the tobacco growers 

 of the Old Belt section. Figures 9 and 10 show characteristic har- 

 vesting scenes in the New Belt and Old Belt sections. 



Fig. 9. — Tobacco harvest in the New Belt section. Stringing the primed leaves under 



the shade of a tree. 



CURING AND HANDLING. 



The expert curer exhibits his skill from the very first, as he begins 

 to harvest the crop. He cuts or primes, having clearly in mind what 

 he expects to accomplish in making the cure. For a uniform curing 

 of good color, a first requisite is that the barn be filled with plants or 

 leaves of uniform ripeness and character. 



The first step in curing is to yellow the leaf properly. This takes 

 place while the plant is yet living but is slowly approaching death 

 from starvation, since the food and moisture supply is cut off. To 

 expose too long to the sun and air after cutting, even though actual 

 sunburning does not result, greatly diminishes the vitality of the 

 cells of the leaf and it will not yellow so well. The tobacco should, 

 therefore, be housed without excessive wilting or long exposure to the 

 sun and wind. 



