Bulk fermentation of Connecticut tobacco

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Circular No. 5, Tobacco 10.

S. 29.

United States Department of Agriculture,

DIVISION OF SOILS,

Gooperatiixg with the Gonnecticnt (State) Fizperiment Station.

BULK FERMENTATION OF CONNECTICUT TOBACCO.

INTRODUCTION.

The Division of Soils has been interested for a number of years in
the study of the tobacco soils of the Connecticut Valley and the quality
of the tobacco produced on them. An historical review shows that the
quality of the tobacco grown on the present tobacco soils has probably not
been materially changed in the last fifty years ; that the yield per acre has*
increased considerably through improved methods of cultivation and
more judicious fertilization while the average price per pound is about
as high at present as it has been for any considerable time during this
period. The market demands, however, for the "style" of wrapper
leaf have been uncertain and fluctuating between the dark, heavy wrap-
per of Pennsylvania -and the light, thin wrapper of the Connecticut
Valley, elust now the demand is for the light, thin wrapper. The
introduction of the Sumatra tobacco in 1864 — a thin, light wrapper
leaf, with rich grain and exceptional style — and the enormous impor-
tations under a very heavy tariff seem to indicate that the market has
determined that for some time to come this is to be the style of leaf
that will be most in favor.

While there has never yet been an overproduction of desirable
wrapper leaf in this country, the changing style has repeatedly favored
one section to the disadvantage of another. The increasing importa-
tion of the Sumatra leaf and the development of the Sumatra type of
wrapper leaf in some of our Southern States, which is selling for a
high price per pound, plainly indicates that the Connecticut farmer
should change the style of his leaf to conform more closely to the
market demand if it can be done at a reasonable cost. Furthermore,
there are undesirable qualities in the flavor of the Connecticut leaf
which should be eliminated if possible, in order to produce a more
desirable wrapper for the domestic cigar.

The investigations of the Division of Soils in Connecticut and the
comparison of these soils and climatic conditions during the actual

growing season with the soils and climatic conditions of Sumatra,
Cuba, and Florida seem to indicate that a type of leaf could be pro-
duced which would at least be more acceptable to the trade and bring
a higher price per pound than the present product.

After Congress authorized the investigations the first thing to do
was to make a careful survey of the soils of the Connecticut Valley,
examine carefully the crops grown on each type of soil, note the influ-
ence of soil on the quality of the tobacco, and see what could be
developed from the present leaf by the most improved methods of
fermentation used in Sumatra, Cuba, and Florida. After that, if the
product was not satisfactory, to try a radical change in the methods
of planting, cultivation, curing, and fermentation in order to change
altogether the character of the leaf.

Accordingly an accurate soil survey was made in the summer of
1899 of that portion of the Connecticut Valley between South Glas-
tonbury, Conn., and South Hadley, Mass. — a distance of about 40
miles, with an average width of 10 miles, and embracing in all approxi-
mately 256,000 acres. Ten distinct types of soil were recognized and
mapped, on a scale of 1 inch to the mile, and many notes were taken
•as to the influence of the different soils on the quality and style of the
tobacco produced. This soil map, with the accompanying report, is
now, by special act of Congress, being published.

The present circular deals with the efforts that have been made and
the results attained in fermenting the Connecticut tobacco by the bulk
method used in Sumatra, Cuba, and Florida.

THE ORDINARY METHOD OF FERMENTING IN CASES.

The method of fermenting the Connecticut tobacco in cases was
described in Farmers' Bulletin No. 60 and in Report No. 60 of this
Department, as follows:

The fermentation, or sweating, is usually managed by the packers, and not by the
farmers. The sweating is done in wooden cases, strongly put together, holding on
an average about 300 pounds of tobacco. These cases are not tight, but have a space
of one-half inch between the boards. A good crop in sweating loses from 10 to
14 per cent of its weight, and there must be sufficient ventilation to allow this moist-
ure to escape. On the bottom of the box is put a layer of top leaves, or seconds, as
the outside does not sweat readily. The leaves are well shaken out and packed with
the butts outside and tightly pressed down to exclude the air as much as possible.
The tobacco is piled into the box and pressed down with a moderate pressure, and
then the top of the box is nailed on. The cases are then marked and piled up in the
warehouse in rows 3 or 4 boxes high, for the sweat. Once at least during the season
good packers turn the boxes upside down and put the top boxes at the bottom.

The tobacco is cased in the fall or winter, and so remains through the next smn-
mer. The temperature of the warehouse is quite even during the winter. After the
summer's sweat the operation is finished and the cases are opened and sampled.
This is one year after the harvest. After sampling the tobacco is returned to the
case without breaking the bulk, and remains in the case until it is wanted by the
cigar manufacturer.

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The whole process of fermentation in this operation is largely a matter of chance.
It is not controlled, the temperature is not taken to note the progress of fermenta-
tion, and nothing is done, in point of fact, except to maintain the temperature of the
room moderately uniform during the winter season. In some cases the fermentation
is overdone and in other cases it is underdone. There is a strong feeling among the
more intelligent planters that more information is needed upon the changes which
take place in order that these may be carefully controlled.

The obiections to this case method are obvious enough on careful
consideration, and account, in a measure, for much of the criticism by
the cigar manufacturers on the Connecticut leaf. The object of fer-
mentation is to induce certain chemical changes in order to eliminate
some of the undesirable qualities in the cured leaf; to develop desirable
taste, aroma, grain, and style; to secure a uniform and desirable color,
as well as to make the leaf thinner and more elastic. In much of the
Connecticut leaf there is a "seedy " taste, undesirable to many smokers,
which it has not been possible to entirely eliminate by any process of
fermentation, but which is materially lessened by thorough fermentation.

By the case method of fermentation the hands of tobacco are lapped
for about one-third of their length and the desirable color and grain
have been developed chiefly in this portion, and it is this portion only
which is suitable for good cigars. The rest of the leaf is often poorly
fermented, sleek, and glossy, without grain or style, and is used only
on low-priced cigars or sold as trash. The color of the leaf is also
very far from uniform. The process requires from six to nine months
from the time the tobacco is packed. Tobacco cased down in December
does not begin to ferment until the warm weather of summer, and lies
in the warehouse thus for months in an inactive condition, subject to
changes of winter and spring weather, with much warm, damp, and
foggy weather, which is liable to develop rot and mold of several kinds,
which in certain seasons damage a large percentage of the crop. There is
always much uncertainty when the tobacco is ready to be sampled as to
whether it will be sound and whether it will really be sufficiently fer-
mented. There is also the certainty that the outside layers of tobacco in
each case will not be fully fermented. All this, of course, represents
so much loss to the farmer when his crop is bought up by the packer.
Then there is the cost of storage and insurance and the loss of interest
on the investment, which for such a period amounts to considerable.

THE METHOD OF FEKMENTING IN BULK.

The method of fermenting in bulk as used in Florida was tried,
with some necessary modifications, in the fermentation of the Con-
necticut tobacco, in cooperation with the Connecticut (State) Experi-
ment Station. This method, described in full in Report No. 62 of
this Department, is essentially as follows:

The leaves are assorted as they are stripped from the stalk into
three grades — bottom leaves, middle leaves, and top leaves — simply

to give to each the fermentation adapted to the grade of tobacco, the
final assortment and close grading being made after the fermentation
when the colors are properly developed and well set. For this method
of fermentation the hands as originally made up should be tied with
string or bast instead of with leaves, for the following reasons: (1) It
saves a leaf for each hand bulked, as the tie leaf is practically destroyed;
and (2) if the butt has to be dipped into water to ''order" the hand
before bulking, the tie leaf is liable to become soggy in the pile.
After the fermentation and final assortment the hands are tied with a
leaf in the usual manner.

The light, thin tobacco of the bottom leaves, which needs but little
curing, should be put in small bulks of from 3,000 to 6,000 pounds.
The medium to dark leaves from the middle of the stalk should be put
in bulks of from 8,000 to 10,000 pounds, as more fermenting is
required for the dark tobacco. The top leaves, which in Florida
would be classed as fillers, should be put in bulks of from 10,000 to
15,000 pounds, as they need thorough fermenting, and the larger the
bulk the more intense the heat of the pile. In fermenting a large
crop the first grade to be handled is that from which the light wrap-
pers are to be obtained, then the dark, heavy grade, and lastly the
fillers.

A platform should be provided, raised 3 or 4 inches from the floor,
with bulkheads at either end, the whole being covered with burlap.
When completed the bulk should be 6 feet high and about 6 feet wide
and 12 feet long — the width and length, however, depending upon the
quantity of tobacco to be handled. The fermentation should be carried
on in a room in which the temperature can be maintained uniformly
between 75° and 85° F., and the atmosphere be kept quite moist. This
can best be done by steam pipes, if a steam plant is available.

The bulk is built up and manipulated in the following way: Some
trash tobacco is made quite wet by sprinkling and put in a pile in the
fermenting room and covered with woolen and rubber blankets. After
twentj^-four hours the pile should be turned. The water should all
have been taken up by the leaf and the leaf be quite pliable and warm.
The pile then remains covered for two or three days, when it should
warm up rapidly from the active fermentation.

The heavy dark wrappers and fillers will need to be put in order or
cased down if not already sufficiently moist and pliable. To do this
dip the butts in warm water for about 2 inches above the tie leaf or
string and shake well. The tobacco is then put into cases or into a
pile and covered and allowed to remain twenty-four hours to draw —
that is, to absorb the water. No water stains should be apparent if
the work has been properly done. The light wrappers should not be
dipped in this way, as they should be fermented with the least possible
amount of moisture. They can be brought into order by exposure to

a damp atmosphere or by interbedding with layers of the hot ferment-
ing trash.

Start the bulk with a layer 8 inches deep of the hot fermenting
trash tobacco. The good leaf is put on this in layers, pressed firmly
down by hand, but without any other pressure. As the bulk is 6 feet
wide each layer will require several laps, as the hands are put down
in the way shingles are put on a roof. No mark or damage will occur
where the butts rest on the lower leaves when the fermentation
proceeds normally. When the bulk is 6 feet high it is well to cover
with a layer 6 inches deep of the hot fermenting trash and then cover
the top and sides with woolen and, if possible, with rubber blankets
to keep the tobacco from drying out. The temperature of the room
should be maintained at from 75° to 86° F., and the atmosphere be
kept quite moist by escaping steam.

The bulk should remain from three to six days, according to the
condition of the tobacco and the rapidity of the fermentation, when it
should be turned or rebulked. In judging of the progress of the
fermentation it is very helpful to know the temperature, at least in the
middle of the bulk. In the light wrappers the temperature should
reach about 120° F. , when the bulk is ready to turn the first time.
The fillers require a much harder fermentation and the temperature
should reach 130° or 135° F. The temperature can be taken with an
ordinary thermometer inserted into the middle of the bulk through a
hollow bamboo or other tube, but a much more convenient way is to
use the electrical thermometer recently devised in this Division.

The bulk is turned in the following way: Six or eight cases should
be filled with tobacco taken from the top of the bulk and then set to
one side. Then take tobacco from the old bulk and lay the foundation
of the new, continuing until the bulk is about half removed. Take the
tobacco from the six cases first removed from the top of the bulk and
put on the new. Refill these six cases with the tobacco from the cen-
ter of the old bulk, again setting these to one side. Proceed to take
the remainder of the old bulk and put on the new until the old bulk
is entirely removed. Then take the six cases that were taken from the
center of the old bulk and put this tobacco on top of the new. Thus
the top and bottom of the old bulk have become the center of the new
one. The outside layers are also put in the center of the new bulk and
the center layers of the old bulk become the outer layers of the new.
The bulk should now remain about ten days, when the temperature
should rise to about 115° F. for the wrapper and 120° F. for the filler.
It should then be turned. After this it should remain about fifteen
days, when, if the tobacco had suflicient moisture at the start, the wrap-
per leaf will be sufficiently fermented to assort and pack in bales or
cases for the market. The color will be quite uniform over the leaf and
well set after the fermentation, and the grading can be quite closely
done.

6

The dark heavy wrappers and fillers may need reordering before the
fermentation is complete, in which case they are dipped and put aside
for twenty-four hours before being rebulked.

W hen the fermentation is completed, if it is not convenient to open
the bulk to assort and pack the tobacco, the bulk should be torn down
and rebuilt, in which condition the tobacco should keep for months
without injury.

THE FERMENTATION IN BULK OF SOME CONNECTICUT TOBACCO.

In January, 1899, an attempt was made, in cooperation with the Con-
necticut (State) Experiment Station, to ferment some of the Connect-
icut tobacco in bulk according to the Florida method. The results
were fairly satisfactory, considering the general character of the crop
of that particular season. In December, 1899, the attempt was again
made, in cooperation with the experiment station as before, but in a
much more thorough manner. The results have been highly satis-
factory, not only to ourselves, but to some of the largest and best
informed packers and cigar manufacturers of New York, New Haven,
and Hartford.

The entire crop from the experimental field at Poquonock, amounting
to about 3,000 pounds of all grades of good leaf and about 1,900 pounds
of trash tobacco from the sorting of several crops, were taken to the
basement of the laboratory of the experiment station at New Haven,
where a room had been fitted up for the fermentation. Steam heat
was provided to maintain the room temperature at from 75^ to 85° F.,
and a high relative humidity was maintained by allowing steam to
escape into the room.

A platform, about 6 feet wide and 12 feet long with bulkheads at
either end, was provided, the whole being covered with burlap. The
platform was raised about 3 or 4 inches from the floor. The trash
tobacco was made quite wet by sprinkling with warm water and then
put into a conical pile in the fermenting room. It was allowed to
remain for twenty-four hours. By this time all the water had been
absorbed by the tobacco and there was no sign of water stain. The
pile was turned and again covered with woolen and rubber blankets in
order that the fermentation which had alread}^ set in might develop.
The following table shows the temperature of the inside of the pile*

Date.

Time.

Tempera-
ture.

Dec. 15...
Dec.16...

Do....

Do....
Dec.l7...
Dec. 18. . .

Afternoon

Forenoon

95
114
117
119
128
131

Afternoon

Forenoon

do

This hot trash was then used in the construction of the bulk, as will
be described.

The crop had already been assorted into six grades, as is ordinarily
done in Connecticut before the fermentation, and as the total amount
of tobacco was small all of these grades had to be put into the same
bulk in order to make it large enough for the fermentation to develop
properly. The assortment was as follows:

No.

Grade.

Pounds.

1

2
3

4
5
6

l,289i
547
375
157i
449^
2575

Long seconds

Fillers

Dark wrappers

Top leaves

Total good leaf

3,076

All the grades except the first (long wrappers) needed "ordering."
The butts were therefore dipped for about 2 inches above the tie into
a tub of warm water, shaken out, and then put into cases or into a pile
in a warm room for twenty-four hours to draw before being bulked.
At the expiration of twenty-four hours there was no appearance of
water and no water stains on any of the leaf so treated.

The tobacco was bulked on December 18 to 20 in the following way:
A layer of the hot fermenting trash tobacco about 8 inches deep was
put on the platform; the good tobacco was then put on this in layers
pressed firmly down by the hands, but without any other pressure.
The bulk was 6 feet wide, so each layer required five laps, laid down
in the way shingles are put on a roof, but no marks or damage was
found where the butts pressed against the lower leaves.

As the first grade of light wrappers was rather dry to ferment well
and it was not advisable to dip them, layers of the hot fermenting trash
leaf were interbedded with them as far as the supply would go.

The bulk when completed was 6 feet high and about 12 feet long.
A layer of trash was put on top and the whole was covered with woolen
and then with rubber blankets. Electrical thermometers, such as were
recently devised in this Division, were inserted in various parts of the
bulk, so that the change in temperature could be noted as the fermen-
tation proceeded.

The bulk at the Experiment Station, having been put down on Decem-
ber 18 to 20, was turned on December 22, a day or two earlier than was
necessary, in order to see the condition of the leaf. It was again
turned on January 2. On January 18, or just thirty days after the
bulk was first put down, the fermentation was completed and the tobacco
should have been sorted at once and graded according to color and
length of leaf, or rebuilt into another bulk until this work could
conveniently be done. As a matter of fact, the bulk was allowed
to remain undisturbed until February 1, in order that it might be
inspected by tobacco dealers. It was then put in cases and sent to
Hartford to be sold.

8

The following temperatures were obtained near the middle of the
bulk in the first wrappers at 9 a. m. of each date.

Date.

Tempera-
ture.

Date.

Tempera-
ture.

Date.

Tempera-
ture.

Dec. 19

OR

88

98

111

118

a 120

86

92

97

104

112

Dec. 29

o-p

115

115

115

a 114

94

96

99

101

104

105

Jan 9

op,

los

Dec. 20

Dec. 30

Jan. 10

1)7

Dec. 21

Dec. 31..

Jan 11

1)7

Dec. 22..

Jan. 1

Jan 13

IJ')

Dec. 22 (3 p.m.)

Jan. 3

Jan. 14

105

Dec. 23

Jan. 4

Jan 15

104

Dec. 24

Jan. 5

Jan. 16

104

Dec. 26

Jan. 6

Jan. 18

103

Dec. 26

Jan. 7

Jan 23

100

Dec. 28 .

Jan 8

a Bulk turned.

The Connecticut tobacco is not supposed to have any desirable filler
leaves for domestic cigars, but this year's experience has shown that
the short top leaves, if properly fermented, will make a fairly good
filler and that it will even pay to pick out such heavy -bodied top
leaves from what is commonly classed as trash and ferment them for
filler goods. Some of these heavy -bodied leaves were thoroughly fer-
mented with very good results. Of course the flimsy wrapper leaves
will not make a desirable filler with any method of fermentation.

OPINION OF DEALERS.

Samples of the fermented tobacco were sent to three of the largest
packers of Connecticut tobacco in New York City and to one expert
packer of Hartford. Two of the New York houses sent members of
the firm to New Haven to inspect the tobacco in the bulk, as did the
Hartford firm and also one of the large New Haven cigar manufactur-
ers. They were all much pleased with the results. They .pronounced
the leaf perfectly sound in every respect, the color very desirable and
even, the whole leaf perfectly fermented and having the appearance
of old tobacco, while the grain was perfectly developed and the style
excellent. The burn was also good. Great surprise was expressed
by all of these gentlemen that no damage had been done to the body
of the leaf where the butts of the next layer above rested upon it.
The bulk was carefully examined by them, but no single leaf could be
found on which butts rested that showed the least discoloration, bruise,
stain, or other sign of damage.

Some of the top leaves of the trash which had been heavily fer-
mented were rolled up into smokers and pronounced very good.
Some of this was made into "booked fillers" and submitted to two
cigar manufacturers and two dealers in leaf tobacco in New York City
and to one leaf dealer in Philadelphia. The reports from all sources
were that it was very satisfactory. The estimation of the value of
this booked filler from the various sources varied from 15 cents, the

9

lowest, to 18 cents, and, in one case, to 30 or 10 cents per pound,
while the heavily fermented scrap, consisting mainly of the thin,
trashy leaves, was valued at about 7 cents per pound.

As a result of the inspection of the leaf in bulk two of the New
York firms and the Hartford firm at once arranged to have some of
their present stock fermented in the same way, and careful instruc-
tions were given them as to the proper method of procedure. It was
the general expression that more had been gotten out of the leaf than
had ever before been attained, and that the method would entirely
supersede the present case method of fermentation.

The bulk fermentation can best be done by the large packers, rather
than by the farmers, as suitable arrangements for fermenting can be
made more economically, and much better results can be obtained with
large quantities than with small crops.

This work, while thoroughly satisfactory so far as the present style
of leaf is concerned, has demonstrated that the Connecticut leaf needs
to be radically changed to accord with the present market require-
ments. , As the soil and climatic conditions are considered adapted to
a style of leaf more closely corresponding to the best standards, an
experiment has- been planned, in further cooperation with the Con-
necticut Station, in which the attempt will be made to change the
character of the leaf b}^ a radical change in the method of planting,
cultivation, and after treatment.

Marcus L. Floyd,
Tobacco Expert^ Divisimi of So^Jh.

This circular, approved by Prof. Milton Whitney, Chief of Division
of Soils, in charge of tobacco investigations, and by Dr. E. H. Jen-
kins, Director of the Connecticut (State) Experiment Station, is ordered
to be printed.

James Wilson,
Secretary of Agriculture.
17715 2

10

RECENT PUBLICATIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT ON TOBACCO.

Bulletin No. 11, Division of Soils — Tobacco Soils of the United States, a Preliminary

Report upon the Soils of the Principal Tobacco Districts. By Milton Whitney,

Chief of Division of Soils.
Farmers* Bulletin No. 60 — Methods of Curing Tobacco (revised edition) . By Milton

AVhitney, Chief of Division of Soils.
Farmers' IBulletin No. 82— The Culture of Tobacco. By Otto Carl Butterweck.
Farmers' Bulletin No. 83 — Tobacco Soils. By Milton Whitney, Chief of Division of

Soils.
Report No. 58 — Cultivation of Tobacco in Sumatra. By Emile Mulder.
Report No. 59 — Curing and Fermentation of Cigar-leaf Tobacco. By Oscar Loew,

of the Division of Vegetable Physiology and Pathology.
Report No. 60 — Temperature Changes in Fermenting Piles of Cigar-leaf Tobacco. By

Milton Whitney and Thos. H. Means, of the Division of Soils.
Report No. 62— Cultivation of Cigar-leaf Tobacco in Florida. By Marcus L. Floyd,

of the Division of Soils.
Report No. 63 — The Work of the Agricultural Experiment Stations on Tobacco.

Abstracted by J. S. Schulte, of Office of Experiment Stations, with Introduction

and Comment by Milton Whitney, Chief of Division of Soils.

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