THE CULTURE OF TOBACCO. 83 



and where a slight difference in the I'ipeuess of the leaf intended 

 f'li' wrappei's makes a large difference in the value, it is necessary 

 to harvest the crop bj' the single leaf method. In this case the 

 leaves are strung on twine with a needle, and placed back to back, 

 so that leaves cannot fold round their mates and prevent proper 

 drying. When the entiie plant is harvested, the stalks are speaied 

 on the curing stick. 



The aftei' fermentation is of great importance to cigar leaf, and 

 the curing process must be conducted with the idea of developing 

 the enzymns as mucli as possible. As long as the cells of the plant 

 are alive (and if properly handled they will remain alive for several 

 weeks), thei'e is a movement of organic matter from the cells of 

 the tissue to those of the ribs ; thus the starch in the foiau of sugar 

 is largely transported and consumed by the processes of respiration. 

 In curing cigar leaf, the attempt is made to have the leaf 

 become dry and come into C(jndition (moist) once in twenty-four 

 hours. More of the oxidizing enzymns are formed in the ribs of 

 the leaf than in the tissue, and this alternate drying and moistening 

 of the leaf bi-ings about a movement of the contents of the ribs 

 out into the body of the leaf. The longer the i-ibs and the stem 

 of the leaf are permitted to live, the greater will be the amount 

 of enzymns formed. 



Whenever pole-ljui'u or rot is detected, the barn may lie dried 

 out Ijy means of charcoal fires <;ir the use of a stove. If the climate 

 be an extremely dry one, so that the leaf will not come into a moist 

 condition at least once a daj', the air of the barn must be I'cndered 

 humid by the use of water on the floor. Steam may also htt turned 

 into the barn foi- this purpose. The ideal tobacco Iiar-n of the 

 futur'e will probably be fitted with steam heat, so that the moisture 

 and temperature conditions will be absolutely under contr'ol. 



When cured, the tobacco may be allowed to hang in the barn 

 until a less busy season, or it may be takeir down, stripped, sorted and 

 bulked for fermentation. In cold weather tobacco leaf may appear 

 to be thoroughly dry, but as soon as the temperatur-e rises the tobacco 

 will l)eccime soft and moist. For this reason if tobacco be taken down 

 from the curing barn and bulked on a cold day it will contain 

 moi'e moisture than is appar'ent, and will rot or mould ^vhen the 

 weather' beconres warairer'. 



If cigar leaf be cured out ton rapidly the leaf will be stiff and 

 woody, and the colour will lie uneven. If the curing be protracted 

 too lung a time, the leaf will lo.se its elasticity and strength. 



Irr dry weather the barn shoirld be closed in the day-time and 

 opened at night. This will give the recjuired moisture conditions. 



There is this general difference betweerr leaf cured by natural 

 methods and that cured by artificial metlrods. The air-cured leaf 

 preser-ves its flavour and is free from smoky odours. It also has a 

 larfe absorptive capacity, becau.se its porous sj'stem has been left free 

 and open. The fire-cured leaf has less alisorptive capacity, for the 

 reason that the heat has contracted the jJorous systenr arrd the smoke 

 has filled the surface of the leaf. The smoke preserves the leaf and 

 enaljles it better to withstand exposure and unfavourable envirorr- 

 ment. The same tobacco wheir cured by fire brings on an average a 

 ijenny a pound less thair it woidd have done if cured by air. Very 

 lio-ht" charcoal or' closed fires, such as are used to dry out a building 

 in unfavourable weather-, will not injure the quality in any way. 



