The kilns in general use today are of the down-draught type capable of loading four to five sticks high. Drying takes five days. On unloading, the tobacco sticks are bulk stacked, generally in the grading shed. When the harvesting season is over the leaf is returned to the kiln for conditioning before grading. Conditioning consists of allowing the dry and brittle leaf to take up some moisture from the hot and humid kiln. This allows it to be handled without breaking. Grading is done on the farm and then the leaf is delivered to the factory.
Co-creator
Moore Grant Baumgart, B.SC., Horticultural Division, Department of Agriculture, Nelson.