The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1890-07-17

t bacco-letting the heat remain at 12c
! degrees only a few minutes, and ,her
} by drawing the fires and turning the
| dampers, cut off the heat and let the
temperature of the barn descend to oc
| degrees.
This is generally called "sappng."
The rationale of the process is this
The heat: by expansion, opens the sap
. cells and starts the water to the sur.
) face, facilitates evaporation and hastens
the yellowing process.
This limbering up" process, of
high heat at the start, must be of short
duration or else great injury will be
done to the tobacco.
| Following this mode, the yellowing
process is greatly shortened, requiring
from four to eight hours less to yellow
sufficiently land also hastens the second
stage OF curing g-f1xing the color.
| 1t is we'll to state that there is so
great a difference in the character of
tobacco grown in different localities,
that no rule can be given for the yell
lowing process, applicable to all. The
tobacco of middle and western North
Carolina, will yellow in much less
time than that grown in middle Vir-
glnIa. Then again, tobacco will bear
higher temperature in the yellowing
process during some years than in
others. Notably the season of 1884,
was so dry and held SO little sap when
ripe, that many commenced yellowing
at 100 degrees, and had the leaf cured
in 50 hours. But this is exceptional,
and for general practice would spoil
both color and tobacco.
The season, therefore, it must be
borne in mind, greatly determines the
amount of heat tobacco will require
to be yellowed and cured.
Some of the patented flues are so
constructed that the heat is easily con-
trolled, and the tobacco smoked or
steamed, or both, as may be necessary
IN the yellowing stage. Some tobacco
will require neither to yellow right,
while some other will dry up green or
red without yellowing. if smoke or
steam be not used to assist the yellow
ing process. Smoke and heat will ia
cilitate the yellowing of thin poor to-
bacco, holding very little sap. Wetting
the barn floor from time to time will
assist in yellowing tobacco. Then
there IS an occasional barn of tobacco
that defes all the known modes and
appliances to yellow or cure bright.
But for all practical purposes,
whenever the curer has mastered a
knowledge of the effects of too much
or too little heat, as evidenced
in the color of tobacco, clearly de-
scrlbed heretofore, he possesses a kew
to solve to solve the difficult problem
IN the science of curing tobacco. By
close observation this lesson may soon
be learned and then success is easy.
Alter curing, as soon as the tobacco
is sufficiently soft to move, you may
run it up in the roof of the barn and
crowd it close, or if the barn is needed
tor other curings, the tobacco may be
carried to the storage barn or bulked
down in any dry house on the premises. |
But be sure that nothing is b..lked
with green stalks or swelled stems, for
if such are placed down in bulk it will
be sure to heat and utterly ruin.
ORDERING.
If, after the tobacco is cured, the
weather remains dry and it fails to get
soft readily, SO that it can be moved,
it may be brought in order in the fol-
lowing way: Place green bushes with
the leaves on over the floor and sprin
kle water over them copiously F.; if the
tobacco is very dry and the atmos-
phere contains but little moisture, and
if the weather is cool, a little fire kim
died in the flues will assist in making
the tobacco soft. Straw wet, or made
SO, will answer the same purpose. If
the weather is damp, there will be no
necessity to use either straw, brush or
water. But when it is necessary to
use any means to order tobacco, it is
best to apply them in the afternoon,
that the tobacco may be removed the
next morning.
If the weather continues warm and.
damp or rainy, tobacco that remains
hanging will be apt to change color,
unless dried out by f1ues or charcoal.
When this becomes necessary, build
small fires at first, and raise the heat
gradually.
STRIPPING.
Tobacco should never be stripped
from the stalks except in pliable order,
and the leaves on every plant should
be carefully assorted, and every grade
tied up separately. Usually there will
be three grades of leaf, assorted with
reference to color and size, and two
of lugs. Of leaf tie six to eight leaves
in a bundle, and of lugs eight to ten.
As fast as you strip, either hang the
" hands on sticks-twenty-h to
each stick-and hang up or bulk down
III t"o layelS, the nedOS OF nandS or
bundles facing outward. The latter
mode is best, il you intend to sell in
winter order loose, on the warehouse
floors. If bulked down, watch fire.
quently to see that it does not heat.
If the bulk becomes warm it must be
broken up, aired and rebulked, or
hung up if too soft. 1t is safer always
to hang up as soon as stripped, unless
you design to sell soon, and strike
down in "safe-keeping ORDER in
spring or summer. 1t is considered in
safe order" when the leaf is pliable,
and the stem will crack halfway down
from the tie.
PACKING.