Page:Australian enquiry book of household and general information.djvu/227

 leaf itself gets a brownish yellow. It must not be picked then, or till it again changes to the dark blue; it will then be sticky to the touch, and directly you notice that it must be gathered. The best time to pick it is when the weather is close, heavy and sultry. If wet should come just before picking, wait till fine weather as the rain will wash the gum from the leaves, but fine weather will soon bring it again.

. — Take a sharp pointed knife, and split the stem down the centre from about one-third of the top to three inches of the bottom and cut it off below the split. Let the plants lie on the ground in rows for two days and nights, giving each side of the leaves twelve hours' hot sun. Remove from the field on the third morning after the sun has quite absorbed all dew upon them. If rain should come while they are out, gather them under a tarpaulin or a shed, but they must be spread in the sun afterwards. I think the reason so many fail is because rain so often comes just at this time, and the leaves go off before treated at all. Now bring it all into a shed or outbuilding, a thatched room is the best I believe. Pack the tobacco in a heap, the larger the heap the better for sweating, but in any event pack it as closely as possible, and heap dry hay or grass upon it, sides and all; cover it quite thickly, and on top place some weight (bags with slabs on top of them). Keep the air from getting to it, for if it does get in the leaf will mildew. Watch the heap and feel it now and then very carefully. When it is so hot that yon can hardly bear your hand in it, proceed to the next stage.

Clear away the hay; sort the top of the heap by itself, the centre by itself, and the sides and bottom can go together, and re-stack it putting the centre leaves at the bottom and the bottom and sides in the centre. This is done to get it all sweated evenly. It is best to replace the greenest stalks nearest the middle. Do it as quickly as possible so as not to let it get too cool. Cover just as before. When done, the leaves should be a nice brown colour. Drying is a troublesome business, and it must be done in a room where there is a window or door to admit a draught, when necessary, as it sometimes is. But if you have only a small quantity the drying can be managed somehow. I saw it done in nothing more imposing than an old packing case.

Cut some sticks, or pieces of paling will do, run them through the slits in the stalks, and hang them the thick end up to dry. Don't let the different stalks touch each other as they hang. Before threading, well shake each stalk to loosen the leaves and prevent them sticking to each other. In wet weather, or if the air be damp, smouldering fires had better be kept going on the floor of the shed, to prevent the tobacco turning mouldy. It should hang