149 



ing the 4" x 4" plate at both sides of the house and the main posts ; 

 after these the barradera frames braced as shown in fig. 2, the 

 3" x 3" scantling at the top, then the ends and shutters ; after these the 

 roof rafters, the 2" x 3" movable barraderas (Fig. I), and then the thatch; 

 and lastly " watt! and clay" the walls. 



For two acres of tobacco about 350 bamboo bars, 15 ft- long and 3" 

 in diame er will be required on which to hang the grem tobacco, and 

 a good quantity of dried Ippi-appa thatch heart should be procured for 

 tying the plants in pairs preparatory to hanging on the bars. If a care- 

 ful watch be kept on the field it will be noticed that some few of the 

 plants will b?gin to ripen, these may not be cut yet until a sufficient 

 number has ripened to fill at least ten bars ; then go through the whole 

 field and cut out all that are quite ripe and those that have not quite 

 finished ripening the top leaf 



The best, time to commence to cut is about 3 o'clock in the afternoon, 

 ^nd continue until dark. The leaves then contain very little moisture 

 and are on that account less brittle and less liable to break, and they 

 also dry much quicker than when cut in the moraing This however 

 may be done only when there is no danger of rain falling in the night, 

 as the plants have to remain on the ground until the next morning; 

 a, light shower will not affect them, and heavy rain only does so by 

 splashing them with dirt. 



The best method of cutting is to lav hold of the top of the stem with 

 the left hand, bend the plant over a little, and cut it off at the level of 

 ihe ground, taking care not to injure the young ratoons that are spring- 

 ing from below the surface. The cut plant may then be turned up- 

 sid j down and the base of the stem, as far as the first goo I leaf, cut off ; 

 (at the base of the ripe plant there are usually one or two sm «11 leaves 

 that are over-ripe, spotted and blistered, an I of very little value cDm- 

 mercally) they are then laid on the ground in heaps of 3 or 4 plants in 

 the interval next to that in which the workman is cutting, eich man 

 takmg two rows one on each side of him. Whilst it is much better 

 if the plants are allowed to remain on the grouud all the night it is 

 more advisable to cut in the morning if the weather is at all un- 

 settled; the only difference is that great care is necessary to prevent 

 the plants getting scorched when lying on the ground to " quail ;" they 

 must remain in that position until the leaves have lost their brittleness 

 and have become pliable, and as soon as they have reached that state 

 they must be rem >ved into the curing house, or some other shady place. 

 If the plants are cut in the afternoon there is no danger of their get- 

 ting scorohed and they are as pliable as kid skin the following morn- 

 ing. There is an idea among the Oub ms that the tobaceo burns 

 better if a heavy dew falls on the leaves after the plants are cut. 



If the cutting is done in the afternoon, do not take the plants from 

 the ground to the house until the dew has dried off them, and if it is 

 decided to cut in the morning do noc commence until the dew has dis- 

 appeared. 



To secure sufficient tobacco for the three days cold sweating a cutting 

 right through the field should be made every five or six days rather 

 than every day, cutting out, of course, only the ripe tobacco ; should 

 there be indications of continued rain storms, every effort should be 

 made to cut in as much ripe and nearly ripe or " full" tobacco as po3- 



