DIRECTIONS FOR CULTURE. 19 



the plants, the flower cluster should be covered with alight and strong 

 paper bag before airy of the flowers blossom out, in order to prevent 

 cross-fertilization. The bags should be kept in good condition and 

 not allowed to injure the top of the plant in any way. The} 7 should 

 remain over the flowers until a sufficient number has been fertilized to 

 produce a good supply of seed. 



The time for harvesting will depend to a considerable extent upon 

 the season, but the ripeness of the leaves can be distinguished by the 

 development of irregular, light j^ellowish colored patches over the 

 surface and a thickening and crumpling of the body of the leaves. 

 The leaves should be harvested before they become overripe, and it 

 is the usual practice to pick them at three or four different periods, 

 the lower leaves maturing first, the middle leaves next, and the top 

 leaves last, generally allowing from six to eight days between each 

 picking. After picking, the leaves are carried to the curing shed in 

 baskets made for this purpose and are strung on 4-foot laths specially 

 arranged for them at the rate of 30 to 40 leaves to the lath. The 

 leaves are arranged back to back and face to face, and are regularly 

 strung on the cord attached to the lath. The laths are then hung in 

 the curing shed, where the leaves are allowed to thoroughly cure out. 



When the tobacco is primed from the stalk it should not take more 

 than three weeks to cure; when it is hung on the stalks from four 

 to six weeks are necessary. The manipulation of the curing barn is 

 governed entirely b} x the condition of the weather and the nature of 

 the tobacco, so no fixed rales can be given. However, in a general 

 way it can be said that the barn should be opened during the day and 

 kept closed at night. If there are frequent showers and but little 

 sunshine, the barn should be kept closed and small fires started, dis- 

 tributed throughout the building. These fires should be continued as 

 long as it is necessaiy to dry out the entire barn of tobacco. Where 

 charcoal is not available, wood which has as little odor and as little 

 smoke as possible should be used. It is very important to dry out 

 the barn without giving the tobacco an} T foreign odors. To obtain 

 the best results the tobacco should become moist and be fairly dried 

 out once in eveiy twenty-four hours. 



When the midribs are thoroughly cured the leaves are ready to be 

 taken to the packing house. To get the tobacco in condition to han- 

 dle, all the ventilators should be left open for one night, opening them 

 about 6 o'clock in the evening. Unless the night i- a dry one, the 

 tobacco will soften before morning and be in condition or "good 

 order;" that is, it will have taken up sufficient moisture to make it 

 soft and pliable. The barn should then be tightly closed, in order to 

 retain the moisture, and the leaves taken from the laths and tied 

 into hands of convenient size. The bottom, middle, and top leaves 

 should be kept separate in the barn. After the tobacco has been 



