6 



to 6'btiin the Tobacco of prime colour, being careful at the same time to avoid their being too rip';, 

 if 'fhis should happen they get discoloured, or dappled, thus losing in quality and producing much " vu 

 (that is, almost valueless Tobacco). The leaf is matured when on its surface are formed elevation 

 BtisiKKS, called by Caban planters "vrjicjar" blisteiuxg, and when the tops of the Iimws, Ijeld in the 

 hand, sound as if they cracked. It is then that the leaf is fully developed. When the plant has been 

 cut suckers spring up. The leaves developed from these are called "capaduras" or <- capoxks" and to 

 obtain a goo 1 Tob >cco from them NOT more than T\v.) su'jicrrs must be allowed to grow from each 

 parent-root, according to its strength, and leaving only those which Bpririg up from below the xurface of 

 the earth and furthest from the cut stulk. The suckers or *' ratoons" should be carefully weeded, avoiding 

 throwing tho earth on the cut stem or on the suckers, and moulding should be performed as frequently as 

 the weather and the vigor of the parent-root requires it. 



Tho after-cultivation and curing of these 6uckers is identic d with that of the first crop of Tobacco. 

 " Ratoons" or suckers nTe developed as many as five times in succession, provided the weather be rainy 

 and the number of suckers left be proportionate to the vigor of the parent-roof. The Tobacco obtained 

 each time will be of good size and quality, and sometimes, in every respect, superior to the first cut. 



CHAPTER V. 

 HARVESTING. 



When the plant is properly ripe and fit for harvesting, cutting must not be commenced until the 

 dew bus disappeared and the leaves are thoroughly dry, that is, after ten o'clock in the morning 

 and continued till about three o'clock in the afternoon. The best kni:e for use is the book-nosed prun- 

 ing knife. 



The leaves are best cut in pairs ,c mancuer)^as, ,, commencing from above and proceeding down- 

 wards to a level with the earth, in preference to the method of cutting down the whole plant. The 

 " mmcuemas" should be placed on poles (of convenient length and thickness, first stripped of their 

 bark) as quickly as possible to prevent the Fun from burning the loaves while in the ground, for if this 

 should happen the Tobacco would be greatly damaged. Each " cortador" or cutter should huve as 

 many collectors as may be found necessary in order that the Tobaccdout may be on the ground the 

 least possible time. The cutters should throw the "cuw'' or wrappers (the best Tobacco) on the 

 space or wall between the rows of plants which they may be following and the tripa" or fillers in 

 the next, thus keeping the two classes separate, and for a like reason each pole should be filled with the 

 same class, and when full of the Tobacco should be kept separate in the House. When on the poles the 

 Tobacco should be kept for a while in the sun to wither and then taken to the House; for while it is 

 beneficial to dry in the sun when on the poles, it is destructive to the quality of the leaves if it is dried 

 by the sun while lying on the ground. 



If it be decided to cut the plant whole, as is sometimes practised, cutting always commencing at 

 the proper time of the day, each carrier should be provided with bands eighteen inches in width 

 and of any desired length. With these bund* the cut plants are carefully tied into Bundles or 

 "matules," so as not to break the leaves, and should be of a size which the men employed as carriers 

 can readily carry. Instead of bands, bags may bo used to carry the cut Tobacco to t he Tobacco-house. 

 Everv endeavdur ought to be used not to allow the Tobacco to remain on the ground longer than is ab- 

 solutely necessary to pick it up, to avoid the inevitable burning which will occur if left long on the 

 ground. The bundles or bag-fulls may be carried to the House either on head, 6mall carts, or any 

 other manner. 



The manner of curing the Tobacco cut in these two ways will be described in another Chapter. 



' Before detailing the curing, which has to be done in the House, it) is convenient to g;vo a brief 

 sketch of a Tobacco-house, and at the same time of the " Pilon" or " Prexsa," the " BuLia.tG-Box'' 

 or u Press." 



CHAPTER VI. 



CURING. 



Tobacco-house and Press. 



It is understood that the House must be finished by the time cutting is to commence. The " Pilon" 

 or Press- is to bo made when the Tobacco is dry on the poles and nearly ready for bulking or fermenting, 

 in the 1'rkss. 



The Tobacco-House. 



The house should run from North to South (one end looking North and the other South). Of what- 

 ever length it is built, take Half the length, i.i ss ove Part for the breadth, and with these dimensions 

 a.well-shaped house will be constructed. Two-thikds the breadth is taken for the LEXGiir of the 

 uaftfrs, and if the House be thatched, one foot more should be added to the length, so as to have a 

 greater inclination of the roof to throw off the rain water rapidly. For example, a house of 20 yards in 

 length (the posts supporting the roof being 4 yatds high), the breadth will be 9 yards and the length of 

 the rafters G yards: half of 20 = 10, less 1 yard =■ 9 yards, and two-thirds of 9 yards = 6 yards. A 

 house of these dimensions is to be divided into sections, ••' aposentos," allowing a space of 27 inches 

 between each section so that a man may easily get in to put up or bring down the poles. Ths same 

 space left between each section (27 inches) should be left at both ends of the house to afford the same 

 facility. A passage one yard in width should be left, dividing the house lengthwise into halves, and 

 e&L'h half will have by this passage four sections on each side, thus making in all eight sections, and 

 each of these sections will have four square yards. The apartments are framed by posts. 



The poles for a house of the foregoing dimensions must be at least thirteen feet in length. 



The pole/S filled with the Tobacco are placed on what are called in Cuba " Barrederas," which are 

 j*tout, fitiong rails, of the length of the secions, nailed horizontally on posts, which form the sections 



