io6 The Soverane Herbe 



ceding ones. It is this curing, or fermentation, of 

 tobacco which gives the leaf its well-known and 

 varied flavours. There are various methods adopted, 

 and by them the final flavour of the herb is deter- 

 mined. Tobacco-leaves simply dried have no more 

 odour and taste than any other dry leaf. 



The gathered leaves are first dried. In Asia they 

 are simply dried in the sun ; in Europe in hot-houses 

 of 70° or 80° Fahr., while in America both methods 

 are practised, the more common one being in artificial 

 heat. 



By the first or natural method the leaves are 

 simply hung in well-lit and ventilated sheds, spitted 

 on poles like herrings. Every tobacco-leaf thus has a 

 hole at the base of the stalk by which it has been 

 suspended. The reader may be again reminded that 

 the leaves are bigger than cabbage-leaves, being a 

 couple of feet long by one and a half broad. After 

 six or seven weeks' suspension the leaves are 

 thoroughly dried. The more common method is a 

 combination of artificial and natural means. After 

 being partially dried in the sun the leaves are finished 

 off in sheds by the heat of smouldering fires of bark 

 and rotten wood. 



Then comes the process of ' sweating.' The leaves 

 are heaped on the floor of the shed and covered with 

 matting. The mass of tobacco gradually * sweats,' or 

 becomes damply warm, this being due to the evolu- 

 tion of heat and water. To prevent overheating the 

 leaves are turned every twenty- four hours, thus 

 insuring equable ' curing ' and guarding against 

 ' firing,' which turns the leaves dark and black. In 



