23 



Agricultural Institute, Professor Stockbridge, of Amherst College, in speaking 

 of air-curing, said : "The curing process is defective; by the slow, gradual 

 process, much of the essential narcotic oil is lost." He also referred to " a new- 

 system of curing, largely adopted in other States," and said : " This artificial 

 curing retains all the virtue of the tobacco; in fact, increases its essential oils." 



EXPERIMENT IN WEIGHT. 



We now give you the actual result of an experiment made during the past 

 season, for the express purpose of deciding this question : Does tobacco cured 

 off the stalk lose or gain in weight ? " Some contended that it would lose, 

 others that it would gain; while a majority of those who expressed their 

 opinion on the subject thought it would make no difference in the weight, 

 whether cured on or off the stalk. Although convinced by the laws of nature 

 that it must necessarily gain, we only claimed, previous to making this experi- 

 ment, that it lost nothing. It is evident that each leaf, either in dying or dry- 

 ing, feeds back a large portion of its substance through the same channels 

 that supplied it. The most casual observer of nature cannot have failed to 

 notice this fact. The grass, the weeds, the corn, and every tree, shrub, or 

 plant, asserts it in the most unmistakable manner. Tobacco cannot be 

 exempt from this law of nature. 



The fine or thin portions of the leaf are the first to cure ; next the small and 

 fibers ; and lastly the stem. 



When cured on the stalk, the stalk is the last to cure, and much of that 

 which is necessary to give the leaf "body" is forced back into the stalk, 

 causing it to weigh more and the leaf less. 



Again, in curing by artificial heat, the longer time tobacco is "fired," or 



subjected to heat, after the leaf is cured, the less it will weigh ; therefore, in 



firing, the extra time required to cure the stalk, you are lessening the weight 



of the leaves. In making this test, two hundred average-size plants were 



selected, divided into two lots of one hundred each, and weighed. Lot No. i 



weighed 231 pounds 3 ounces ; No. 2, 222 pounds 13 ounces. The leaves 



were stripped from lot No. 1, and cured on the Shelton hangers, and the stalks 



were cured separately. Lot No. 2 was cured on the stalks, with the following 



results : 



CURED On'sHELTON HANGERS. 



Weight of ico plants before curing 231 lbs. 3 oz. 



Weight of leaves and stalks after curing $& lbs. 13 oz. 



Shrinkage in curing 192 lbs. 6 oz. 



Weight of stalks after curing 13 lbs. 6 oz. 



Weight of leaves after curing 25 lbs. 7 oz. 



