xt7rxw47rj85 https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7rxw47rj85/data/mets.xml Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station. journals kaes_circulars_004_578 English Lexington : The Service, 1913-1958. Contact the Special Collections Research Center for information regarding rights and use of this collection. Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station Circular (Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station) n. 578 text Circular (Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station) n. 578 2014 true xt7rxw47rj85 section xt7rxw47rj85 l ·
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You have maximum control of curing conditions in this type barn.
By IR/\ M/\55|L und KLIQMIT MILLS
Cirunlur 5/8
(Filing Code I»I)
i COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SERVICE
I NIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY { i i AGRICULTURE AND HOME ECONOMICS
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Curing Burley Tobacco
By IRA MASSIE and KERMIT MILLS
1
Curing burley tobacco is an art. This circular is designed to
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acquaint you with some ol` the basic principles involved in cur-
ing. For more detailed inlormation, see your county agent.
· ; HARVEST FULLY RIPE TOBACCO
For best curing. cut burley tobacco when the upper leaves are
ripe and distinctly yellow. l·`ully ripe tobacco cures Iaster, has
more smoker leaves. and is less likely to damage during periods ol`
_ bad curing weather. Too. ripe tobacco makes better quality leal`.
However, il the lower leaves are wasting badly because ol` un-
usually dry or wet weather, and il` priming will not be done, it
may be better to cut the tobacco belore the top leaves are I`ully
ripe.
FACTORS WHICH AFFECT CURING
(iood quality burley tobacco can be cured at temperatures
lrom (SOO to at least SIOO ili relative humidity is near optimum.
A ()ptimum relative lmmidity for curing burley tobacco is about
65 to 70 percent.
Conditions inside a curing barn are influenced by three factors:
1. Outside
Temperature. relative humidity, sunshine, clouds. time ol day,
wind speed. wind direction.
2. Inside
~ Size ol plants. spacing ol plants on sticks. spacing ol sticks on
rails. number ol tier spaces Iilled. amount ol water in tobacco
when housed, rate ol evaporation. relative humidity day and night.
3. Structural
Location. prevailing winds. ventilators. cracks. height, width.
and length. arrangement ol rails.
I·`ill all tiers Irom top to bottom ol` the barn with tobacco ol
the Siillltf cutting.
Hanging newly-harvested tobacco tmder plants harvested
I earlier may cause the earlier—harvested tobacco to darken.
3
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Fig. `l.-— When sticks are spaced on a rail as shown above, air can move freely
in and around the tobacco.
AIR CURING i
You can make conditions suitable for curing tobaeeo. How A
well the crop will he cured depends largely on how well humidity
is regulated, how close st ielas are spaced, width of the barn, size 0f
tohae<·o, and amount of ventilation.
Small plants permit closer spacing than large ones. \\/ith the
same amount of side ventilation, a narrow barn will safely hold
more tol>art·o per rail than a wider l>arn. Barns 36 to 40 feet wide ‘
are hest for hotising tohaeeo.
livery year there are periods when relative humidity cannot he
tontrolled hy rentilators and heat. should he used. \Vhenerer to-
hat·t·o remains in case for more than 24 hours. househurning will _
slzlrt.
'l`he more erarlas and ventilators in tAhe side of the harn, the
more air that will pass through the housed tohaeeo and the closer
tohareo can he spared. Your curing barn therefore should have
enough side rentilaiors for rapid change of air. Few old harns
hare enough side rentilators for hest curing.
\\`hen repairing old harns or huilding new ones. provide
ample rentilators on the sides. ln harns S50 to 40 feet wide. hinge
4
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__ Fig. 2.- A well-built barn with above dimensions, adequately ventilated, properly
located, can improve curing conditions. See your county agent for a blueprint.
at least a third of the boxing or siding to permitt opening and
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third oi’ the side in ventilators, start at one end and nail 4 boards,
' hinge 2, nail 4, hinge 2 across the side ol' the barn. To have hall`
ol? the side open, nail 2 boards, hinge 2, nail 2, hinge 2 across the
side.
- l Ventilators are not needed at the ends of hurley barns unless
prevailing winds strike the end ol` the harn and tier rails run
parallel with the width.
- Il? prevailing winds strike the side of the harn and tier rails are
parallel to width, then place tier rails parallel to the length ol` the
harn, and locate ventilators on the sides. Experiments at the Kerr
tucky Agricultural lixperinient Station have shown that ventila-
tors in the rool are almost useless, particularly when liring is used.
In building a new harn it is best to locate it on a hill or ridge
A rather than in the valley. Locate the side toward the southwest.
5
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Fi . 3.- You have little control over curing conditions in a barn such as this.
9
Sheds placed on the sides of a burley barn cut off ventilation completely. Also, ·
ridge ventilators are useless.
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Fig. 4.-— This old barn was remodeled to ive maximum control over curing
9
conditions. A
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` Fig. S.- This drawing shows how to remodel a barn when tiers run parallel to
width and prevailing winds hit the end of a barn.
WHEN TO OPEN OR CLOSE THE VENTILATORS
During August and September the air is usually drier during
‘ the day and wetter at night. Therefore, the ventilators ol` the
curing barn should generally he opened as soon as the dew dries
in the morning and elosed in late afternoon.
\\’hen you are uncertain whether to open or close the curing
harn. pitt a lew eured leaves in a sheltered place near the tolraeeo
harn——l`or example. umler an open shed. \\’hen these leaves are
damp and hang limp. the air is high in moisture. aml the harn
should he elosed. ln general. whenever these leaves lleel drier than
the tohaeeo inside the harn the ventilators should he open. Hut
when the tohaeeo inside the harn leels drier than those leaves out-
slde. then keep the harn tightly elosed.
During eool periods open the harn to get the henelit ol` the
warmer outside air. ln cool weather the temperature may he l()"
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lower in a closed barn than otttside because of cooling from
evaporation.
ll no {ire is used in curing, provide as much ventilation as pos- .
sible until curing is nearly complete. 5
BULK TOBACCO AS SOON AS FULLY CURED
To prevent darkening ol` the leaf, bulk tobacco as soon as it g
is fully cured.
In warm weather, however, (lon'! bulk tobacco in high order. ‘ i
lf you do, it may damage severely. Il` it remains in high order for A
more than 24 hours, start the lires to dry it. Also, in warm weather,
make only small bulks. ll` the tobacco stalks are not fully dry. it
is unsafe to leave tobacco in the bulk beyond 48 hours. Moisture
from the stalk may enter the stem, causing stem-rot. .
Know the euring conditions at; various levels in your barn. Do
this by placing four or live eured leaves in a piece of canvas and ~
tying them to a string threaded through a loop in the rafter. You
can then lower these leaves and examine them often for conditions .
in the barn. Start firing if the tobaeeo stays damp for a period ol
24 hours or longer, regardless ol` outside temperature. Use enough
heat to dry out the leaves. Do not raise the temperature above
lt)(l".
\\'hen the weather is such that the cured leaves dry out each
day without lire. then liring is a waste of fuel and lime. A
L`nupei·ative Extension Work in Agriculture and Home Economies: College of Agriculture
and Home Economics. University of Kentucky. and the United States Department of Agri-
culture. ctioperatint:. William A. Seay, Director tactingt. Issued in furtherance of the Acts
of May 8 and June 30. 1914.
Issued as Leaflet 234. 7-G0. 7.5M; re-issued as Circular 578. 7-61, 15M ‘