The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1879-07-16
Sand Cure for Tobacco.
From the Pacific Rural Press.

From the PACING Rural Press
We frequently receive inquiries
concerning the growth OF tobacco in
this State and the market for the
home-produced article. In reply we
have said that the city tobacco man.
ufacturers take.the ground that local
grown tobacco is untitled for their
use because Of the imperfection in
methods ofcuring. Several processes
have been brought forward with good
hopes of success, but, so tar as we
know, none have yet demonstrated
their complete success, There is no
trouble in growing the weed in many
parts of the State, but the desidera-
tum is method of curing. As the
subject is of interest to many, we
quote from the Stockton independent
a description of a method practiced
by J. r. Opitz on Dangers ranch,
Roberts Island and which is said to
produce excellent results. Mr. Opitz
writes as follows: l use Connect
cut seed, as it makes a harder plant
than any other kind of tobacco; the
leaves grow close together, it does
not grow so high and is not, there
fore. so much affected by the winds.
plant in rows four feet apart, about
thirty inches apart in the rows, and
after topping, keep about sixteen
leaves, having previously removed
the lower" sand leaves" when ripe,
which is ascertained by doubling up
a leaf between the fingers. If it is
crisp and brittle it is fit TO cut. II
the tobacco is perfectly ripe and the
soil sandy and dry, I break off eight
leaves of the plant, lay one on top of
the other, and place the pile on the
ground. Then take down the other
eight and make similar pile and SC
on through the row. then take q
shovel or hoe and cover the whole
with about All inch OF two of the soil
then start on picking another row
repeating the operation until the
whole is covered. If the sun is toe
high it is better to cover often to
prevent it from getting sunburnt. 1t
will now commence curing at once
the sun heats the sandy soil, the to.
bacco has moisture enough to create
steam, and in about two weeks the
tobacco will be perfectly cured. Ii
is then uncovered and assorted into
wrappers, binders and filling, made
up into bundles Of about twelve
leaves and hung up in a shed (which
is strung across every two feet with
ropes or thin wire), and left until the
stem is perfectly dry. If, however
the soil is not perfectly dry or less
sandy, or more lumpy, 1 treat it diff
ferently and cut down the whole TO
bacco stalk, commencing about 4
o'clock in the afternoon and cutting
down as much as can be well handled
the next morning before the sun gets
out too hot. I then gather together
the tobacco from about nine rows
and make one row out of it, being
the middle OF fifth, and interlap it
laying five rows one way and foul
rows across the other way, and cover
the whole with whatever is handy
straw, weeds. or old gunny bags. In
about six days the tobacco will be al
yellow and commence curing. Their
begin to take off the leaves, putting
them in piles about eight thick il
rows and cover with about one inch
or two of soil, and in about ten days
the tobacco will be cured. 1t has
then to be hung up in the shed to
dry. This second mode of cnring