TOBACCO SHRINKAGE AND LOSSES IN WEIGHT 29 



average stemming loss for southern Wisconsin tobacco is about 23 

 percent and for northern Wisconsin about 25 percent. 



CONNECTICUT SHADE-GROWN, TYPE 61, AND GEORGIA AND 

 FLORIDA SHADE-GROWN, TYPE 62 



As the two types of shade-grown tobacco are very similar in regard 

 to the cultural and handling methods and as the losses in weight in 

 handling are comparable, they will be considered together. Connec- 

 ticut shade-grown is produced in the valley of the Connecticut River 

 in Massachusetts and Connecticut. The principal marketing point 

 is Hartford, Conn. The average annual production for the last 

 5 years has been about 5,000,000 pounds. Georgia and Florida 

 shade-grown is produced in north-central Florida and southern 

 Georgia. The principal marketing point is Quincy, Fla. The 

 average annual production for the last 5 years has been about 2,000,000 

 pounds. 



Shade-grown tobacco is used principally for cigar wrappers. The 

 leaves are small, usually ranging in length from 10 to . 16 inches, 

 although some leaves are as short as 8 inches and some as long as 

 20 inches. 



Body, texture, elasticity ', combustibility, and color are the most 

 important elements of quality in tobacco for cigar wrappers. Shade- 

 grown tobacco is very thin and tissuey, is of very fine texture, is elastic, 

 and ranges in color from light tan to light brown. It is essential that 

 cigar wrappers burn we]l and evenly, and that the leaves are free of 

 injury. The greatest care must be exercised by the growers through- 

 out the culture and handling in order to produce tobacco of such qual- 

 ity. Production costs are higher for shade-grown than for any other 

 types. It differs from all other types in that it is produced under 

 artificial shade. Three kinds of shade are used — slats, cloth, and a 

 combination of slats and cloth. In recent years the use of cloth has 

 predominated. 



Shade-grown tobacco is harvested by priming or picking the leaves 

 as they ripen, beginning at the bottom of the stalk and removing two 

 or three leaves at a time. Each priming is handled separately and the 

 leaves are carefully carried to the curing barns. "VVhen they have 

 wilted sufficiently to permit handling without breakage, they are 

 strung beadlike on twine by punching a hole through the butt of the 

 stem. About 30 leaves are placed on each string, face to face and back 

 to back. Each end of the string is fastened to a lath and the laths 

 are hung in the tiers of the curing barn. 



The tobacco is watched closely during the curing process and 

 through a system of regulated and controlled ventilation, tempera- 

 ture and humidity are kept at the desired point. The procedure 

 followed is governed by weather conditions. 



After the tobacco is thoroughly cured the strings are cut loose from 

 the ends of the laths, the leaves are drawn together in the center of 

 the strings, and the free ends of the strings are tied around the butts 

 of the leaves, thus forming hands of about 30 leaves each. These 

 bands are packed in boxes for delivery to the packing houses. 



In both Connecticut and Florida the marketing system for shade- 

 grown tobacco differs from that of other cigar-leaf types. In prac- 

 tically all cases the packers and dealers are also growers. In addi- 

 tion to handling their own tobacco, they handle some for other 



