TOBACCO SHRINKAGE AND LOSSES IN WEIGHT 3} 



maximum of more than 105° after this first rebulking. The tobacco is 

 turned again when the maximum temperature is reached. It is 

 always turned at least three times and sometimes as many as five 

 rebulkings are necessary. Each time the temperature rises more 

 slowly and a lower maximum point is reached. Sometimes 15 days 

 elapse between turnings. 



When the tobacco comes out of the bulks it is sorted, sized, tied 

 into hands, packed loosely in cases, and is placed in a mulling room 

 for 3 or 4 weeks where a temperature of about 90° F. is maintained. 



Shade-grown tobacco is sorted by skilled laborers on the basis of 

 color, body, texture, uniformity, and injury, and is sized to 1-inch 

 lengths. It is usually sorted into 10 to 15 grades. When the sorted 

 and sized tobacco comes out of the mulling room it is packed and 

 pressed into bales about 32 by 32 by 12 inches, ranging in weight 

 from 150 to 175 pounds net and averaging about 165 pounds each 

 (fig. 8). The moisture content at the time of baling ranges from 18 

 to 20 percent, and as some further fermentation takes place the bales 

 are usually placed in a warm room for 3 or 4 weeks before they go into 

 regular storage. 



The loss in handling, sorting, and packing shade-grown tobacco 

 ranges from 9 to 11 percent, averaging about 10 percent. The loss 

 from packing to sampling time ranges from 2 to 2.5 percent. The 

 loss in storage from sampling time to the end of the next year ranges 

 from 2.5 to 3 percent. 



Shade-grown tobacco, as a rule, has passed into the hands of manu- 

 facturers and been used in the manufacture of cigars before it is 

 2 years old. If it is held longer there is an additional loss of about 

 2 percent the third year. 



The average loss in stemming Connecticut shade-grown is about 

 18.5 percent and Georgia and Florida shade-grown about 17 percent. 



