6 
The dark heavy wrappers and fillers may need reordering before the 
fermentation is complete, in which case they are dipped and put aside _ 
for twenty-four hours before being rebulked. 
W hen the fermentation is completed, if it is not convenient to open 
the bulk to assort and pack the tobacco, the bulk should be torn down 
and rebuilt, in which condition the tobacco should keep for months 
without injury. 
THE FERMENTATION IN BULK OF SOME CONNECTICUT TOBACCO. 
In January, 1899, an attempt was made, in cooperation with the Con- 
necticut (State) Experiment Station, to ferment some of the Connect- 
icut tobacco in bulk according to the Florida method. The results 
were fairly satisfactory, considering the general character of the crop 
of that particular season. In December, 1899, the attempt was again 
made, in cooperation with the experiment station as before, but ina 
much more thorough manner. The results have been highly satis- 
factory, not only to ourselves, but to some of the largest and best 
informed packers and cigar manufacturers of New York, New Haven, 
and Hartford. 
The entire crop from the experimental field at Poquonock, amounting 
to about 3,000 pounds of all grades of good leaf and about 1,900 pounds 
of trash tobacco from the sorting of several crops, were taken to the 
basement of the laboratory of the experiment station at New Haven, 
where a room had been fitted up for the fermentation. Steam heat 
was provided to maintain the room temperature at from 75° to 85° F., 
and a high relative humidity was maintained by allowing steam to 
escape into the room. 
A platform, about 6 feet wide and 12 feet long with bulkheads at 
either end, was-provided, the whole being covered with burlap. The 
platform was raised about 3 or 4 inches from the floor. The trash 
tobacco was made quite wet by sprinkling with warm water and then 
put into aconical pile in the fermenting room. It was allowed to 
remain for twenty-four hours. By this time all the water had been 
absorbed by the tobacco and there was no sign of water stain. The 
pile was turned and again covered with woolen and rubber blankets in 
order that the fermentation which had already set in might develop. 
The following table shows the temperature of the inside of the pile’ 
2 : Tempera- 
| Date. Time. ar 
| oF, 
Dec. 15...| Afternoon ..:....- 95 
Dec. 16_..| Forenoon....-..-.- 114 
Do. =...) Noon ee | i UG ly" fete 
Do... 2) Afternoon 24:2 32 119 
Dec. 17. .:| Forencon 128 
1°) DEG IB. Hse do .ist se 131 
This hot trash was then used in the construction of the bulk, as will 
be described. 
