OF THE DISTRICT OF CAVALLA, TURKEY. 77 



or footstalks are variously sub-divided, whence the name of the variety, 

 " panicled " or " paniculated." The inflorescence is white externally, 

 and of a delicate red or yellow within, the edges, when full-blown, 

 inclining to purple. To it succeed kidney-shaped seed-pods of a 

 brownish colour, of the size of a large pea, filled with numerous and 

 very minute grains of a dusky red hue. Thirty, forty, and even a hun- 

 dred of these capsules are borne by a plant. 



Curing. — About the end of July the lower leaves begin to lose their 

 lively green appearance, and assume a yellowish tint. They also become 

 thickened, rougkish, and slightly brittle to the touch, and exude a 

 clammy oily matter. The time for gathering has arrived. The lower 

 leaves are first taken. This is done by the husbandman in person, and 

 the morning, when the dew has evaporated, is the usual time selected. 

 The lowest leaves are of little or no value, and it would have been more 

 judicious to have removed them at an earlier period. They are known 

 by the name of " deeb," or " dib," meaning " low " (or the " foot " of a 

 plant or tree). By some planters they are even at this stage thrown 

 away ; others preserve them to form the outsides of the bales. 



After ten days the next lowest cluster of leaves is taken ; and so on, 

 at from ten to twenty days interval, the successive clusters, until the top- 

 most ones are reached, which are of little value. The different clusters 

 in an ascending scale are called " Orta," middling ; " Ana," mother ; 

 " Kuchuk Ana," little mother; " Utch Alti,'' three sixes, &c. The "Ana" 

 are the best, and the next the " Kuchuk Ana." The leaves are largest 

 at the bottom of the stalk, and diminish in size as they ascend. The 

 gathering terminates towards the end of September. 



As fast as gathered, the leaves are removed in baskets to the home- 

 stead, and placed under a shed. This is a building enclosed on three 

 sides, the south being left open. Here they remain two or three days, 

 until somewhat faded. The husbandman, his wife, and children, then 

 with large needles string the leaves on to a piece of packthread, passing 

 it through the thick ends of the stalks. Each string of leaves, ten or 

 fifteen feet in length, is attached by the extremities and centre to a pole 

 of corresponding length, and is placed in the sun, supported horizontally 

 on trestles, where it remains so long as the leaves retain any moisture. 

 Care is taken to remove the leaves into the shed on the approach of rain 

 or heavy dews. They are finally hung up under the roof for the winter. 

 The stalks are left standing in the field and are ultimately ploughed 

 down as manure ; a few tops being first secured for seed. 



Combined with the sun's action, the free circulation of the air among 

 the suspended leaves effects all that is required in the first stage of the 

 curinc process. Recourse is never had to artificial slow heat for drying 

 them. After hanging in the shed the whole winter, the tobacco becomes 

 thoroughly dry, and so excessively brittle, that if handled, it crumbles 

 into dust. The next stage is to prepare it for carriage to the markets 



