CUTTING TIME IN CUBA. 449 
for the conveniency of stowage, in a way similar to that in 
which grain is conveyed in Spain, it would be found a con- 
siderable saving of labor. It becomes necessary, in the next 
place, to see that suitable ladders and stages are provided, 
and that there be a sufficient quantity of tobacco sticks, such 
as have been described to answer the full demand of the 
tobacco house, whatsoever may be its size; time will be 
otherwise lost in make-shifts, or sending for a second supply. 
“When everything is thus brought to a point at the tobacco 
house, the next stage of the process is that termed hanging 
the tobacco. This is done by hanging the plants in rows 
upon the tobacco sticks with the points down, letting them 
rest upon the stick by the stem of the lowest leaf, or by the 
split which is made in the stem when that happens to be 
divided. In this operation care must. be taken. to allow a 
sufficient space between each of the successive plants for the 
due ciréulation of air between: perhaps four or five inches 
apart, in proportion to the bulk of the plant. When they 
are thus threaded upon the sticks (either in the tobacco 
houses, or, sometimes, suspended upon a temporary scaffold 
near the door), they must be carefully handed up by means 
of ladders and planks to answer as stages or platforms, first 
to the upper tier or collar beams of the house, where the 
sticks are to be placed with their points refiting upon the 
beams transversely, and the plants hanging down between 
them. This process must be repeated tier after tier of the 
beams, downwards, until the house is filled; taking care to 
hang the sticks as close to each other as the consideration: of 
admitting air will allow, and without crowding. In ‘this 
position the plants remain until they are in condition to be 
taken down for the next process.” 
In Cuba about the beginning of January the tobacco is 
ready for cutting. If the harvest is good, all the leaves are 
taken from the plants at once. Tobacco consisting of those 
leaves is called Temprano, or “Early Pipe.” If, on the con- 
trary, the harvest is not good, the immature leaves are left 
to grow. Tobacco formed of these leaves has the name of 
Tardio, or “Late Pipe.” In every respect, appearance 
included, the Temprano is much superior to the Tardio. In 
the purchase of tobacco, it is a principal thing to ascertain 
how much or how little Temprano a parcel contains. More- 
over, there are what may be called bastard leaves, which 
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