THE CULTURE OF TOBACCO. 73 



eight hours the whole leaf, and, in fact, all the leaves in the curing 

 barn, may be affected and destroyed. The tobacco becomes very dark 

 in colour and thoroughly decayed. 



This decay is due to a-bacterium that gains entrance to the leaf 

 through any broken place or through oiienings made by fungus 

 growths. Temperatures of 110^ stop its action, as also does the 

 reduction of the humidity of the room. For this reason the disease 

 may be controlled through regulation of the temperature and humidity 

 of the room by means of fire and ventilation. The maintenance of a 

 stove in the curing barn is always to be recommended. If there is no 

 stove, small open charcoal fires may be started. All decaying leaves 

 should at once be taken out of the barn and destroyed, to prevent 

 infection of the remaining tobacco. 



During -wst weather this disease should be watched f(ir. It will 

 probably first make its appearance in the centre, or in the least 

 ventilated pijrtii.m of the room. 



Stem Rot- — This is due to a fungus, Botrytis longibranchiata. 

 It appears in the form of a velvety white mould on the stalks and 

 stems of the curing tobacco, and is most prevalent during wet 

 weather. If it has once made its appearance in the curing barn 

 further trouble should be prevented by thoroughly cleaning and 

 disinfecting the barn before again using. This may be done by 

 sweeping the walls and floor of the barn, and then wa.shing with a 

 mixture of lime and sulphur in water, which, if made sufficiently fine, 

 may be sprayed on with an ordinary spray pump. The burning of 

 sulphur in the closed barn will also help to destroy the spores of the 

 fungus. Heat will serve as a check in unfavourable weathei'. 



White Veins. — These may make their appearance in the barn 

 after a long spell of di'y weather. So far as is known they are due to 

 the fact that the outer cells of the leaf are killed too soon by the rapid 

 drying of the leaf, and allow the admission of air under the epidermis, 

 thus giving the appearance of an absence of colouring matter in the 

 leaf. This condition injures the value of the leaf for wrapjpers, but 

 seldom for any cither purpose. The only way suggested for the 

 prevention of this condition is to keep the air of the barn slightly 

 humid in dry weathei' by sprinkling water on the floor. 



Moulds and Rots in Cured Tobacco.— After tobacco has been 

 cured, different moulds and rots often do much damage to the stored 

 tobacco. These will greatly injure or absolutely ruin the leaf. The 

 de\ elopment of these troubles is due to the presence of too large a 

 quantity of moisture in the leaf. The tobacco should be stored in as 

 dry a condition as possible and examined now and again to see that it 

 does not absorb moisture from the air. A stove in the room to heat 

 the air occasionally when the weather is wet will largely prevent the 

 attacks. A room where the tobacco has once moulded should be 

 thoroughly cleansed and disinfected before tobacco is again stored 

 in it. 



In the case of the black rot, cigar fillers may be put through 

 what ia known as a forced sweat, to kill the fungi and drive away the 

 musty odour. The tobacco is allowed a large quantity of water, and 

 placed in a warm room where it will heat up rapidly, and in four or five 

 days, in warm weather, will have reached as high a temperature as is 



F 



