PERIQUE TOBACCO. 95 
is so regulated as merely’to start the sap to oozing, but not to make 
it run from the boxes, because it is desired that it be reabsorbed. 
This process gives to Perique tobacco its black, gummy appearance 
when finished. 
In order that this process may proceed uniformly, the boxes are 
opened every day or two for two weeks, and the twists are loosened 
so as to allow the air and moisture to reach all parts and so that 
the juices will be pressed out and reabsorbed uniformly throughout 
the entire twist. At least once during this period of ‘‘working,” 
as it is called, the twists are opened up fully and any unchanged or 
dry leaves are placed on the outside of the twist and dampened; 
sometimes a little petune, usually rum, is blown over each layer of 
twists as they are packed back in the boxes. 
At the end of this period of ‘‘working,”’ the tobacco is ready to 
“lay by,” as itis called. A considerable shrinkage of volume has by 
this time taken place, so that the contents of three boxes can be put 
into two. The pressure from the levers is renewed but is made not 
quite so heavy as at first and allowed to remain for a period of several 
months, during which time the tobacco mellows and ages and 
acquires the characteristic aromatic fragrance peculiar to Perique. 
The tobacco is ready for use the following February or March, or 
about eight months after harvest. The yield of cured tobacco after 
it has been through this process (minus the stems, it will be noted) 
is 400 to 500 pounds to the acre. 
Until recent years nearly all Perique tobacco was put up into 
cylindrical rolls or carottes, as they are called, weighing either 4 pounds 
or 1 pound each. These rolls were made by carefully rolling the 
required weight of tobacco in pieces of strong cloth and then winding 
with strong rope cord under heavy strain by means of an ingenious 
windlass device. This rope winding is allowed to remain for several 
days or until the carotte is to be sold, when the rope and cloth 
covering is removed and an appropriate paper or other cover with 
revenue stamp is put in its place. This heavy pressure from the 
rope winding serves to compact the tobacco so that it will not dry 
out and puts it in good shape to whittle or shave off the end of the 
roll into fine cut for either cigarette, smoking, or chewing purposes. 
Figures 36 and 37 illustrate various features of this process of handling 
Perique tobacco. 
Only a small portion of the Perique crop is now put up in carottes 
in this manner, however, and that portion mostly for local trade. 
The bulk of the crop is sold in the form in which it comes from the 
curing presses to regular manufacturers. For shipment to this 
class of trade the compacted juicy twists are packed and prized 
into whisky barrels, about 500 pounds to the barrel. Orders for 
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