15 



The shed or arbor was 9 feet high and covered with laths, giving only 

 half cover: that is, the laths were 2 inches wide and were placed 2 

 inches apart, so that there was half sunshine and half shade. This 

 acre was made very rich and Sumatra tobacco was i^lanted. The result 

 was all that could have been hoiked for, as they harvested a finer crop 

 than had ever before been raised on the finest hammock land. In 1897 

 they increased their e5;i)eriment to 5 acres, the result being as good as 

 iu 1S96. In the following year, 1898, this concern planted more than 

 200 acres on old land, under shade, harvesting about 800 pounds ])eT 

 acre; and they claim that at least 50 i^er cent was wrapper. I have 

 examined these tobaccos and I am sure that the island of Sumatra 

 has never produced a finer type of wrapper leaf; and, what is more, 

 this tobacco is just as acceptable to the trade as the finest imported 

 Sumatra. All the farmers who are able to do so are building shades, 

 and I think there will be at least 600 acres planted under shade in 

 Gadsden County this year. 



FERMENTING-, CfRADING, SORTING, AND BALING FLORIDA-GRO^VN 



CUBAN TOBACCO. 



When the tobacco is first received from the curing shed it should be 

 divided into the following grades: Medium to light leaves, medium to 

 dark leaves, and fillers, making three sizes to each grade. It should 

 then be tied in hands, about fifty leaves to the hand. This assortment 

 is made to give each grade of tobacco such curing in bulk as it may need. 

 As soon as the tobacco is tied in hands, proceed to bulk it. The light, 

 thin tobacco, which needs but little curing, is put in small bulks of 

 fiom 3,000 to 5,000 x)ounds: the medium to dark tobacco is i^ut in bulks 

 of from 8.000 to 10,000 pounds, as more curing is required for the dark 

 tobacco. The fillers should be put in bulks of from 10,000 to 15,000 

 pounds, as they need thorough curing, and the larger the bulk the more 

 intense is the heat. Allow these bulks to remain from six to eight 

 days, according to the condition of the tobacco when bulked, then 

 proceed to rebulk in the following manner: Six or eight cases should 

 be filled with tobacco taken from the top of the bulk and then set to 

 one side. Then take tobacco from the old bulk and lay the foundation 

 of the new, continuing until the bulk is about half removed. Take the 

 tobacco from the six cases first removed from the top of the bulk and 

 put on the new; refill these six cases with the tobacco from the center 

 of the old bulk, again setting these to one side; proceed to take the 

 remainder of the old bulk and put on the new until the old bulk is 

 entirely removed; then take the six cases that were taken from the 

 center of the old bulk and put this tobacco on top of the new. Thus 

 the top and bottom of the old bulk have become the center of the new 

 one. The outside la^'ers are also put in the center of the new bulk, 

 and the center layers of the old bulk become the outer layers of the 



