STRIPPING. 457 
removed from the threads, and made into bundles or “hands” 
of about sixty leaves each and tied around the stems. 
After the leaves are thoroughly cured they are in condition 
for 
STRIPPING. 
The leaves of the tobacco are easily affected by the humidity 
of the atmosphere and during damp weather every opportunity 
isimproved by the grower for taking down the tobacco prepar- 
atory to stripping. After taking down from the poles the 
plants should be packed in order to keep moist until stripped. 
The tobacco should not be removed from the poles when it 
drips or the juice exudes from either the stalk or the leaves. 
If stripped in this condition the leaves are apt to stain and 
thus become unfit for wrappers. The operation of stripping 
consists in taking the leaves from the stalk and tying them in 
bundles or hands with a leaf around the base of the. hand, 
HANDS. 
Fach “hand” or bunch should contain at least eight leaves 
and from that number to twelve. If the plants are large the 
leaves of one stalk will form a hand; a poor leaf is used for 
binding as it can not be used for the same purpose as the 
leaves around which it is bound. 
The old planters of tobacco in Virginia called this operation 
