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(inside) perfectly straight, and should have the partitions between the 

 hollow joints cut out with the chisel, after making small window-like 

 npertures on alternate sides at the nodes. The bamboo should belong 

 enough to reach the centre of the press and should be placed thin end 

 in, with the windows at the sides, for if the apertures are turned up 

 and down the tobacco will press into them and interfere with the pas- 

 sage of the thermometer when it is taken out to observe the tempera- 

 ture. A hole about twelve inches long and two inches in width 

 should be made in the wall of the press through which the bamboo is 

 thrust ; the twelve inches is to allow the bamboo to sink with the to- 

 bacco as the fermentation proceeds. When the press is full the to- 

 bacco is to be covered snugly with mats made of corn bags opened up 

 and sown together ; one thickness being sufficient in damp weather, 

 two when the air is dry. Weights must now be put on to start the 

 heat as quickly as possible ; straight smooth logs about nine inches in 

 diameter laid closely together all over the top of the pilon is the 

 usual method of applying pressure. 



The last thing to be done is to insert the thermometer into the bam- 

 boo that was placed in the centre of the pilon ; the bulb of the in- 

 strument should be packed neatly in cotton-wool or some such noncon- 

 ducting material to prevent the mercury running down before the tem- 

 perature has been read The thermometer may be attached to a piece 

 of wire just long enough to reach to the end of the bamboo, which is, 

 of course, the centre of the pilon; care being taken to keep the outer 

 end of the bamboo plugged tightly with dry moss or a piece of rag. 



In dry weather, as soon as the thermometer reveals a temperature of 

 118° F., the logs of wood should be removed; if the atmosphere is 

 damp they should be taken off when 108° F., is reached. The tem- 

 perature rises much more rapidly during wet thundery weather, regis- 

 tering 120° in two days, whilst in dry weather from three to seven 

 days are required to secure the same degree of heat. Whilst the to- 

 bacco is fermenting small boxes should be got ready for the purpose 

 of moulding the bum les of haves, when striped from the stalks, into 

 " matulas ;" they should be of cedar and constructed as follows : — 



Cut three pieces 2 ft. long by 7 inches d^ ep, two for the sides and 

 one for the bottom ; cut one piece 7 in. deep by 7 in. long at the top 

 and 5 in. at the bottom for the one end; these are put together, and 

 when finished the box is troughlike and open at one end, the bottom 

 being 5 inches wide inside. Three ordinary fencing staples are hammered 

 into each side at about 5 in. apart for holding the strings of the ma- 

 tula while the box is being filled with the fermented leaves as they are 

 stripped. When the thermometer that is in the press shows a tem- 

 perature of 128° F. stripping should be commenced. The shutters 

 must be closed and all sources of draught plugged ; banana or bag 

 mats spread over the floor, low rough seats arranged around the room, 

 with plenty of spare bag matting for covering the matulas when made ; 

 two thirds of the men should have a box each, and all a supply of 

 "thatch-heart" strings. 



When everything is in readiness the first few bundles are taken out 

 and handed to the men without boxes who cut all the strings and 

 pick the " fonque" leaves from each plant ; the plant is then passed 

 .along to the man who is to pick " carpa," then on to the ' tripa" picker. 



