8 



When about to sort the leaves as many bundles as can be worked up in a day are taken out of the 

 |>res8, opened out, and the tips and the butt ends of the leaves are moistened with a wet sponge Tho 

 bundles are again made up and placed into the press, covering them as before. Twenty four hours after, 

 *?hen the leaves will have just enough moisture to be handled without breaking, the bundles are 

 taken out as fast as the leaves are sorted 



Sorting, classification or choosing of the leaves, is done to separate the different kinds of leaves 

 according to their qualities, etc. Each planter may classify or sort his tobacco as he thinks best, but 

 the simplest classification is : into first class capa (wrapper) ; second class capa, first class tripa (filler); 

 second class tiipa and third class tripa, the remainder being "funk," or inferior Tobacco. The leaves 

 which have been sorted should be immediately, or rather simultaneously, made into hands or 

 "vanillas." A "hand" " garilla" or " maniila" is made by placing the bu*.t ends of the leaves 

 evenly together until the hand is full of leaves, selecting a leaf which is not very sound, twist it like a 

 rope, and wrap it around the butt ends of the leaver so as to tie them properly together, then divide 

 the whole bunch of leaves with the hand and draw the tying-leaf through and close the bunch, thus 

 aecuring the leaves, afterwards place the hands in ihe press again. 



I am greatly in favour of the foregoing method of bulking on account of the many advantages it 

 possess over the following, which is by some adopted as the usual method of curing at this stage : — 



Method 2 — If for want of room in the House or on account of very wet weather the Tobacco 

 becomes mooldy and there be fear of losing it, it should be put into the press at once In such a case it 

 flhould remain in the press not longer than is absolutely necessary for stripping off the stalks and 

 aorting the leaves, never begond eight days, as the dampness of the stalks spoils the leaves. The after- 

 treutmentis the same as the first method. 



CHAPTER VII. 

 PACKING AND BALING. 



As soon as it, is desired to pack the Tobacco the wash is prepared with which to sprinkle it. Tho 

 "'"maniila" is held in the left hand, and with the right the wash (betun) is sprinkled on evenly, and the 

 Land of Tobacco well shaken to remove drops of wash on the leaves, they are then put aside in a heap 

 and allowed to remain so for a couple of hours, or until the leaves be sufficiently pliant and soft to per- 

 mit handling without breaking, and they are ag; in put back into the press. After remaining in the 

 press for about four or six days the hands or manillas are taken out and shaken and made into hunches 

 of three or four hands each, called " manojos" and then put into bales. When baled, the Tobacco 

 undergoes its last fermentation, being ready at the same time for the market, and the curing of 

 the crop is at an end. The yaguas which are strips of palm bark used in baling, must be properly 

 dry and pliant and evenly flattened by pressure. Each bale should hold eighty-one manojos The 

 bales are made in a wooden frame, which is constructed on different patterns It is useless to de- 

 scribe the process, as no description whatever can teach the manner of making a bale. It must be 

 learnt by practice as many of the other processes also must be. After the bales are made they 

 should be put out in the 6un till the yaguas and ropes with which the bales are tied be thoroughly 

 dry. After drying they should be stored away in a suitable dry place having a wooden floor. 



When more than three bales are put together, one on the other, the pressure of such a weight 

 takes away the softness and elasticity of the leaf, but on the other hand renders it a batter Smoking 

 Tobacco. Every one, therefore is at liberty in this particular to use his discretion to suit his interest. 



Besides yaguas cases are used for packing Tobacco, those made of cedar-boards being preferable, 

 but packing in yaguas or baling is by far the best. Such is the prevailing opinion amongst planters 

 in Cuba that it is a common saying there, that " God made the Yagua for the Tobacco" (Dios hizo la 

 jagua par el tabaco.) 



APPENDIX. 



(a.) A Nursery 110 yards long and 22 yards wide will grow a sufficient number of healthy seedlings 



to plant a field of 10 acres. 

 (b.) For a Nursery of the foregoing size about two pounds of good, healthy seed should be sown, 



and if these do not grow, fresh seed must be sown again, 

 (c,) On an acre of land 10,000 platts can be cultivated, but the exact number is 9,6^0 plants. One 



man should not attend to more than the number of plants which can be grown on an acre of 



land. 



(d.) The number of plants that will give a quintal (lfO lbs ) of Tobacco cannot be exactly estimated, 

 for it depends on the stale of the weather and the fertility of the soil. But in general terms 

 it may ba said that if the soil is good and the weather is favourable 1,000 or l,5u0 plants will 

 give a quintal. 



Should it rain whilst cutting is going on, the operation must be discontinued until the weather 

 is again fine — as the leaf must on no account be cut while wet. 



Tobacco should not be cut during rainy weather, as at that time the suckers are growing 

 freely and take away the quality of the leaf, which is in a measure regained by succeeding dry 

 weather. 



Betun or Wash. 



Take 5 lbs. of old, strong Tobacco stalks and put into 2 or 2| gallons of water, and boil sufficiently 

 to reduce the quantity of water to about one third so as to obtain a strong, well boiled infusion. The 

 Tessel in which this infusion is made should be new and perfectly free from grense. Take a clean barrel, 

 fill with clear water, and put into it a sufficient quantity of Tobacco- stalks, three quarters of which 

 ahould be of the former crop and one fourth of the last. Allow it to ferment for four days, and on 

 the fifth day, when it should be used, add as much of the infusion to this as will darken it, and it may 

 jaow be used. 



