Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1896-10-09
CURING SEED LEAF TOBACCO
Avoid Too Rapid Drying Also Excessive
Dampness-Vontiiating Tobacco Barns.


Dampness-Nontilati Tobacco Barns.
After the crop is safely housed comes
the anxious work of curing it properly.
Throughout the seed leaf sections this is
still done by air curing alone, which is
accomplished by regulating the air AID
moisture 10y opening or closing doors or
shutters in the barn. The process has
been improved by greater care i'll the
construction of barns, but it is at best
crude and imperfect method. With
view to atfording assistance is here re-
produced from American Agriculturist
the following advice:
The first point to avoid is the too
rapid drying of the leaf. Drying is not
curing, and the terms are in no way
anonymous The change of color and
condition III the leaf is largely due to
process of fermentation which takes
place in the hanging tobacco and for
which certain amount of moisture in
the leaf is necessary. If the leaf is dried
too rapidly, this fermentation is either
prevented altogether or checked to some
extent, thereby affecting the result dis
astrously.
AS far as possibla TIE air in the shed
during the whole caring process should
be kept in such condition that the to-
bacco will never become quite dry and
brittle. Il rhOuid never crumblc when
handed. 70 this end, after the first two
week lnllo"iug the hanging, the sheds
should be kept tightly closed during dry
weather, and if opened it should be at
night or for awhile upon damp and misty
days. If the buildings are kept close,
the great amount of moisture evaporat-
ed from the tobacco will keep the air
sufficiently damp even i'll dry weather.
The second principle is to keep the air
i'll the shed from excessive dampness,
which, with heat causes a destructive
fermentation, or rotting, which is entire
ly different from the fermentation of
the curing process. For this reason the
building should be kept we'll opened
and ventilated the first week OF two aft
er hanging, tlat the fresh currents of
air may carry of the large amount of
moisture cooperating from the tobacco
and also check any tendency to excess
i've heating. During the whole time of
curing, after any prOtracted time Of
damp or warm, muggy weather, the
sheds should be opened until the tobac
co is partially dried Off To carry out
both these principles the shed should
be so constructed as to permit of its be-
ing tightly closed and also of its being
opened and thoroughly ventilated.
Light should be carefully excluded dur
ing the curing process, especially i'll its
later stages as it is found that strong
I light has an injurious effect upon the
color of the leaf.
The tobacco barn is commonly ven
tilatcd by opening doors running the
/ full length of the sides. Jacob thinner,
an authority Oh this crop in the Miami
valley, says a better plan is to have the
tobacco barn az alright as possible by
mailing strips over all cracks, except
to cut away six inches lengthwise at
bottom to admit fresh air ana leave an
open space at top under the caves, thus
providing constant circulation of air.
Screen space ut bottom with wire net
ting to keep out vermin. If the weather
is very dry when the tobacco is harvest
ed, Mr.. Zimmer would wet it before
hanging III such barn. If the weather
becomes very wet with dense fOgs and
much rain, so that the crop may rot in
stead Of cure, put i'll small coal stoves
every 20 feet of the length Of the house,
with pipe through the roof Keep up a
gentle heat to dry the air somewhat,
but admit enough fresh air to maintain
its free circulation.