TOBACCO. 29 



its appearance only on the face side of the leaf, Too much heat reddens 

 the leaf, first around the edge and then in gpots, which are visible on both 

 sides. Now, to prevent sponging on the one hand and spotting on th© 

 other, is the aim of the experienced curer. No definite time can bo laid 

 down to run from one hundred and ten to one hundred and twenty degrees. 

 Sometimes- four hours will eufiice, then again eight hours is fast enough. While 

 it is usual at this stage to advanceabout five degrees every two hours for medium 

 tobacco, the. condition of the tobacco often indicates, to the practiced eye, the 

 necessity for slower or faster movement. But it is Bafe not to advance above one 

 hundred and ten degrees until the tails begin to curl up at the ends. Arrived at 

 one hundred and twenty or one hundred and twenty-five degrees, this is the cur- 

 ing process. Th« hekt should remain at or near these figures until the leaf is 

 cured, which will require from six to eight hours, according to the amount of sap 

 in the leaf to be expelled. When the leaf appears to be cured, advance five 

 degrees every hour up to one hundred and seventy degrees and remain until stalk 

 and stem are thoroughly oured. To run above one hundred and eighty degrees 

 is to endanger scorching the tobacco, and perhaps burning both barn and tobacco. 



To recapitulate — 

 -First. Yellowing process, 90 degrees from 24 to 30 hours. 

 Second. Fixing color, 100 degrees, 4 hours. 



" " " " 100 to 110, 2i degrees every 2 hours. 



' « " " 110 to 120, 4 to 8 hours. 



Third. Curing the leaf, 120 to 125, 6 to 8 hours. 

 Fourth. Curing stalk and stem, 125 to 170, 5 degrees an hour. 



And continue at one hundred and seventy degrees until stalk and stem are 

 • thoroughly killed and dry, which usually requires from twelve to fifteen hours. 



THE NEW METHOD OF CURING. 



. The' curing process for yellow tobacco, as heretofore laid down, was first pub- 

 lished in the year 1871, and was the first systematio treatise given to the public 

 on the difficult art of curing yellow tobacco; and it has remained substantially 

 unaltered through six editions of the pamphlet, aggregating largely over 100,000 

 copies. Thousands in several States have taken it for their guide, and been ena- 

 bled to learn to cure successfully, without, any other assistance. But the yellow 

 tobacco industry has greatly progressed and extended during the past decade, and 

 new light has come through experience to further perfect the -art of curing. 

 The following -is given as the latest improvements in curing tobacco: 

 House the tobacco as soon as cut, and after warming up the barn for two or 

 three hours at a temperature of about 90 degrees, advance the heat rapidly up to 

 125 degrees, or as high as it will bear without scalding the tobacco, letting the 

 heat remain at 125 degrees only a few minutes, and then, by drawing the fires 

 and turning the dampers, cut off the heat and let the temperature of the barn 

 descend to 90 degrees. 



This is generally called " sapping." The rationale of the process is this: 

 The hea by expansion, opens the sap cells and starts the water to the surface^ 

 tacilitates evaporation and hastens the yellowing process. 



13 ^ 



