30 



on the ground and the plants are put on it. A plant is then placed in 

 every loop, and ten x)lants are thus put on every stick. 



The tobacco whicb has been accepted as satisfactory is hung for one 

 day on the lower supports and is then removed to the top of the shed 

 and the shed is filled from the top down. Greeu tobacco must never 

 be hung under tobacco which is already half cured. The smaller 

 plants are put up in the top of the shed, so far as possible, and the 

 larger ones under them. A shed of the dimensions given will contain 

 from 45,000 to 50,000 i^lants. A watchman sleeps in every shed and 

 takes care of the opening and closing of the doors and windows for 

 ventilation under instructions from the European assistant. 



Light colors are much in demand at the present time, and for that 

 reason in clear and warm weather all the doors and windows of the 

 shed are kept open in order to get all the light and air possible. As a 

 rule the doors and windows are not opened until after 8.30 or 9 o'clock 

 in the morning, as there is much dew and moisture in the air during 

 the night and early morning. At first they are only opened a little, as 

 the green tobacco must not yellow too quickly. With strong, heavv 

 winds everything is kept tightly closed. This is a matter of experience, 

 and no rules can be given for the ventilation of the barn. 



As a rule, the tobacco is cured in from four to five weeks and is ready 

 to be stripped and bundled. 



Occasionally during continuous wet weather it is necessary to use 

 fire in the shed. It is, of course, better not to do this, but if it is neces- 

 sary the following rules are adhered to: In the first place a fire must 

 never be used which gives any smoke, because the odor will settle in the 

 tobacco and never leave it. In firing everything must be closed and 

 only i)erfectly dry wood can be used. Two sticks are put together with 

 the ends against each other and lighted. The tobacco immediately 

 over the fire must be pushed aside, so as not to allow it to come too 

 close. A hole is made about 3 feet square and about 1^ feet deep, in 

 order to get a good draft. The fire is started at sundown and put 

 out about 9 o'clock on the following morning, when the windows can 

 be opened. The fire is put out by pulling the sticks away from each 

 other and covering with sand. Water is never used for this purpose, 

 as it might injure the leaf. The one thing that is needed is the heat 

 of the fire, and no smoke nor steam must be allowed. 



STRIPPING AND BUNDLING. 



The tobacco is stripped on a little platform about 12 feet square in 

 the drying shed. The bottom and top leaves of the stalk are kept 

 separate. These are again divided into ragged and those which have 

 holes in them and those which are black and heavily speckled. These 

 four kinds are put together in separate bundles of about. 50 leaves 

 each. They are tied with the same string with which the tobacco was 

 hung up in the first place. This stripping is done early in the morning. 



I 



