The sun., 1908-01-26

leaf is buIked. with only enough moisture
70 keep II from breaking when handleda>
The heaviest type Of tobacco grown goes to
England for navy plug.
The Italian type is a little lighter than
the German. not so fat. but smooth and
silky. The Austrian type is slightly lighter
than the Italian. but the two are very
similar.
Under the type of wrapper classed as
Austrian may be included that sent to
Switzerland for wrappers. by many con-
sidered the very best type Of dark tobacco.
These wrappers are % TO 10 inches long.
are broad, silky. OF fine fibre and stem, and
chestnut brown in color. Not much is
shipped to Switzerland. but what does so
brings the highest prices.
The type demanded by France is lighter
In color. thinner. not SO fat or elastic; in
most ways the poorest Of the four types. A
clear, even leaf. however. is insisted ON.
The Spanish trade tales nonedscript and
low grade leaf and lugs Of all types. colors
and mixtures. They call for very little
good leaf.
Probably in no two parts OF the country is
tobacco handled exactly alike. Sometimes
the whole stalk is cut, the time being chosen
to catch as many leaves as possible at the
proper stage, for the whole plant does not
Ipen ut once.
In other places the leaves are picked sep
Arately, taking them as they ripen and maxi
ing two pickings or phmings OF it. This is
the way the Sumatra tobacco is treated,
In Florida the gathering Of the leaves Of
Sun,atra tobacco often lasts from June until
September.
The process of curing differs according
to locality and the kind of tobacco. Almost
always it is hung up in barns to dry. but
neither the barns nor the drying processes
are alike. In the Connecticut Valley the
siding Of the barns is vertical, and every
alternate board is loose at the bottom, so
that it can be opened out a little or fastened
/ down tight, according to the moisture or
| dryness wanted.
Bulking tobacco is piling it in a compact
mass or bulk on a platform on in bins and
! leaving it TO ferment or sweat. The bulk
! has to be taken down every few days and
| the tobacco shaken out. Then it is built
up again; the process being repeated some
/ times eight or ten times, depending entirely
! on the condition OF the tobacco,
| The room in which the bulking is done
/ is kept at a temperature of 20 degrees or
/ 50 degrees. The great pile Of tobacco,
/ containing sometimes 1000 or 5000 pounds,
! will generate additional heat 50 that IL
will reach a temperature as high as i4O
degrees. With tho filler the further this
! fermentation goes and tho more intense
! the action the stronger and finer will the
| tobacco be- for that purpose, provided the
work is carefully done.
The Cuban filler leaves are often resweated
and petuned, a process which makes them
darker and stronger. 1t is done either
by spraying or by dipping the tobacco.
The petuning liquid consists Of a thick
! infusion of tobacco stems Of the best quail
ity, TO which is added molasses, cider,
Jamaica rum or sour wine. Other things
are often added according to the fancy
Of the operator. This is a secret of the
Cuban method, the only part of it they are
unwilling to divulge. The wrappers are
never treated in this way.
| The bright yellow tobacco of Virginia
and North and South Carolina is cured
in tight barns with flues crossing them
not far from the ground, going out from
the furnace and returning to the chimney.
The barns are from 10 to % feet square
and are never built closer than 100 feet
apart on account OF the danger Of fire.
Sometimes there will be as many as twenty
Of these barns on a single plantation.
Three days and several cords Of dry wood
are needed to cure one OF these barns OF
tobacco. It is a mighty delicate process,
requiring the most careful watching day
and night.
The heat must be increased very grad
ually and must never be allowed to be
checked. IL must never be intense enough
to cause sweating during the time the leaf
ia being yellowed. This takes from Is
to 30 hours.
Next the heat is raised five or ten degrees
at time and kept at each stage one or two
hours until temperature Of IFS degrees or
12O degrees is reached. Finally it is brought
up to 100 degrees or IT'S degrees and kept