The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1891-08-06
RIPENING.

from the cigar tobacco, is known to be
ripe when its color changes from green
to greenish yellow, thickens, so that
when the leaf is folded over-the under
surface being outward-and pressed
between the thumb and finger, it
cracks open. The upper surface of the
leaf is roughened, for reasons stated
under ''Science Of Curing Yellow To-
bacco,,' and generally of a mottled
yellow and green color. Ripening of
this type usually takes place in Vir-
ginia and North Carolina in about five
to six weeks after the plants have been
topped, sometimes longer when growth
was retarded by drought. The cigar
| type ripens about two weeks sooner
after topping.
CUTTING AND HOUSING.
Do not be in hurry to begin cutting
i, your tobacco until it is ripe, and
! enough fully and uniformly ripe to fill
! a barn. A thin butcher or shoe knife,
we'll sharpened, and wrapped with a
soft cloth around the handle and eX-
tending an inch along the blade: will
do the work effectually and be soft to
the hand. Try it, Put knives into
the hands Of experienced cutters only,
men who know ripe tobacco, and will
select plants uniform in color and text
ure, and will cut no other. Have your
sticks already in the field, and placed
in piles convenient-sticking a stick
vertically in the ground over each pile
that they may be more easily found
when wanted. Pine sticks, rived three
fourths of an inch by one and one
fourth inch, and four and one-half feet
long, drawn smooth, are best.
Start together two cutters and one
stick-holder-the cutters carrying two
rows each and the stakeholder walking
between them. The cutter takes hold
of the plant with his left hand at the
top near where the knife enters the
stalk; with his right hand he splits the
stalk down the centre observing tt
guide the knife so as not to sever the
leaves) to within three inches Of the
point he intends to sever the stall
from the hill; and as the knife descends
his left hand follows the slit or opening
and when the plant is severed from the
hill, by a dextrous movement of tht
left hand the plant is straddled acros:
the stick in the hands of the holder
when the stick has received about 81,
medium plants if intended for brights
it is ready to 90 to the barn, eithe
carried by hand if near, or hauled on {
f wagon if distant. If it is necessary Il
use a wagon, prepare bed sssixteel
feet long to hold three coops or piles
on which place tobacco as cut, ant
after placing twenty-five OF thirty stick
of cut tobacco on each coop, drive t.
the barn to be unloaded.
Tobacco suitable for brights is bes
handled in this way, as it is bruised
less than if handled by any other mode
Try it, planters, and know for your
selves. Very heavy tobacco viii
break less if, after being cut by the
above mode, the sticks are placed
gently on the ground and the plants
allowed to wilt before being removed
to the barn. But tobacco of medium
size bruises less to handle it without
whiting. Cutting and housing by this
mode you never have any sun-burn
tobacco. For brights it has been fOunt
best to commence curing at once, a.
soon as the barn can be filled.
SUN-CURED TOBACCO.
Just here it may be well to give ou
practice in sun-curing. If the crop il
too rich and coarse for brights, then i
=; may be good policy to cure it sweet
To do this properly, erect scafold a
or near the barn, on which place th
tobacco as soon as cut. But some. Il
: order to obviate the hauling Of heavy
r green tobacco, place the scaffolds-in o
near the tobacco fields. But it is neve
safe to scatfold tobacco away from tn
: barn, for after the leaf is partially DIR.
!. it ought nevor to be caught out in
! rain. which l.. y happen if tobacco
, placed on scatfolds away from the barn
4 When rain threatens that on scatfOld
= near the barn may very soon be placed
K out of danger, but not so that on scat
folds afar off.
CURING SWEET FILTERS WITH FLUES
). To cure sweet filters with fiues, whe
' the tobacco is placed in the barn a
! soon as cut, raise the heat in the barr
+ to eighty-five or ninety degrees Fab
Il renheit. and then go about other bus
: ness. Kindle fires in the tiues ever
:. morning, raising the heat to ninety de
: grees. and then leave as before, an
3 continue to do this for four or five days
+ until the tobacco is thoroughly ye
lowed. If the tobacco has much sap
: may be necessary to continue the ye1
|; lowing process from FIVE to seven day
Il to yellow properly. After this yer.
little heat will be necessary to dry ou
Il the tobacco. rains occur before tn
5 barn is thoroughly cured. raise fires i
: the tiues and dry the leaf as often a