454 YELLOW TOBACCO. 
tobacco, and this degree of heat should be continued until 
the leaf opens a lemon color, and is nearly free from any 
green hue. When this point is reached, the heat should 
be gradually raised to 105° in order to commence drying the 
leat, and here lies the whole difficulty in curing (I mean 
in drying the leaf). The last degree of heat indicated, 
should be continued five or six hours, when it should again 
be gradually raised to 110°, when it should be maintained 
at this point, until the tail or points of the leaves begin 
to curl and dry. Indeed it will probably be safest for begin- 
ners to continue this degree of heat until one-third of the 
leaf is dried. 
“The temperature may then be gradually increased to 115°, 
and kept for several hours at that point, until the leat. begins, 
to rattle when shaken, then again raise the heat to 120°, at 
which point it should be continued until the leaf is dried, 
after which the temperature may be increased to 150° or 
160° to dry the stem and stalks; the latter should be black- 
ened by the heat before the curing is complete. Ordinarily 
it coq nies from two and a half to five days to cure a barn 
of tobacco, dependent entirely upon the size and quality. 
Put seven or eight plants on each stick and place them eight 
inches apart on tier poles. Inthe yellowing process the door 
of the barn should be kept closed to exclude the air. 
When this point is reached for drying the leaf, the door may 
be opened occasionally, and kept open for twenty or thirty 
minutes at a time, especially if the tobacco gets into a “sweat,” 
as it is called, or becomes damp and clammy. 
“The temperature is raised in the barn by cautiously add- 
ing coal from time to time to the fires, which should be 
placed in small piles on the floor, in rows, allowing about 
five feet between each pile, which should at first contain a 
double handful of coal. In adding coal, you will soon learn 
the quantity necessary to be applied by the effect produced. 
Avoid raising the heat hastily after the drying is commenced, 
lest the leaf should be scalded and reddened; on the other 
hand, it should not be raised too slowly for fear of ‘raising 
the grain, or the leaf becoming spongy and dingy. Both 
extremes are to be avoided, and the skill required is attained 
only by experience and observation. We usually cut tobacco 
the latter part of the week, house it and suffer it to remain 
until the first of next week, that we may not violate the 
fourth commandment.” 
In California tobacco is cured by the method known as 
