The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-05-24
NEW METHODS WITH TOBACCO.
Gathering the Leaves as They Ripen-The
Leaf Cure and tho Stalk Cure,

Gathering the Leaves as They Ripen--The
Leaf Cure and tho 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, arc not without value, are
saved.
A great advantage claimed for this
process is the complete separation of the
leaf from the stalk as soon as the leaf is
ripe. 1t is said that if the leaves are
not removed the stalks will extract
nearly two ounces of the Gil 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.
Tho leaves of the tobacco plant do
not all ripeu 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 overripe, 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 feet long, IS inches
wide and 8 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 'stick.' AS soon as Il "sec.
ton" of sticks is filled it is hoisted to
its place The leaves are cured in very
short time compared with the process of
mir curing OH the stalk House burn or
pole 6weatis said to be entirely avoided.
Several patents are held in connec-
ton with tho process, In the few in
stances IN which the leaf cure has been
tried in Connecticut and Pennsylvania
the growers have seemingly concluded
that its advantages over the old method
are more than offset by the great add.
tional labor and expense involved,