The Portland daily press., 1895-08-06
NEW METHODS WITH TOBACCO.
Gathering the Leaves as They Ripen-Th
Leaf Cure and the Stalk Cure.

Gathering the Leaves as They Ripen-Thc
Leaf Cure and the Stalk Cure.
For years the tobacco growers of New
England, New York and Pennsylvania
have realized the difficulties of curing
tobacco according to the usual practice.
More or less loss results from imperfect
curing, house burn and other causes. If
there is better way, all are interested
to know about it. A method that has
recently acquired degree of popularity
IN southern states, notably in North
Carolina, where it originated, is thus
described in The Country Gentleman:
Under this system the routine of
planting and cultivation need not differ
essentially from that in general use.
The first important divergence from the
ordinary line of practice is made when
harvesting begins The usual way is to
cut the stalk at the ground, at the time
when the largest part of its leaves are
ripe. Just previous to this topping of
the plants is done, when number Of
the upper and immature leaves are bro
ken off and thrown away.
By the new plan the leaves which
ripen first are plucked from the stalk,
leaving the rest to be gathered as they
mature. The bottom leaves which are
thus saved, as they are the first to ripen,
would otherwise decay and be lost be-
fore the other leaves Of the plant are
ready to be harvested. The leaves are
gathered at several different times, al
ways from the bottom, until nothing of
the plant is left in the field but the stalk
and its suckers. Removing the first
leaves is said to hasten the maturity of
the rest, SO that the entire crop may be
secured earlier than it could be other
wise, thus lessening the danger from
frost. Finally the top leaves, which,
when ripened, are not without value, are
saved.
A great advantage claimed for this
process is the complete separation of he
leaf from the stalk as soon as the lea is
ripe It is said that if the leaves are
not removed the stalks will extract
nearly two ounces of the oil of tobacco
from every pound Of leaves cured on
them, and that when the leaves are cured
separately the tobacco is about Is per
cent heavier than it would otherwise be-
The leaves Of the tobacco plant do
not all ripen at the same time, and
while the upper ones are maturing the
lower leaves are becoming worthless.
This fact puts the farmer in dilemma.
| IF he leaves the plant until some of its
leaves are oyerripe, it is believed that
their oil is absorbed by the stalk and
| their value thus impaired. If he cuts
the plant while some leaves are green,
these immature leaves will be of little
worth. 1t is urged that loss in either di-
rection may be avoided by taking off
| the leaves as fast as they ripen.
In practice the leaves are gathered
and laid in baskets 8 feet long, Is inches
wide and inches deep and in them
conveyed to the curing house. This
building is provided with heating appa-
ratus, usually in the basement The
leaves are strung on steel wires, 81
leaves to f'stick.' AS soon as a 'ssec-
| tion" of sticks is filled it is hoisted to
| its place. The leaves are cured in very
short time compared with the process of
air curing on the stalk. House burn or
pole sweat is said to be entirely avoided
| Several patents are held in connec-
tion with the process. In the few in
stances i'll which the leaf cure has been
tried in Connecticut and Pennsylvania
the growers have seemingly concluded
that it's advantages over the old method
are more than offset by the great addi-
tional labor and expense involved.