Large tobacco leaves

Large tobacco leaves

　　Process: At the beginning of summer, dig pools, fill them with soil to create seedbeds, then scatter seeds, water them, and sieve a layer of fine soil on top, followed by a layer of pebbles. A few days later, a patch of fuzzy green tobacco seedlings will sprout; when they grow over two inches tall, water them thoroughly with clean water once, then transplant them into the tobacco field. About a month later, it's necessary to remove the lower leaves of the tobacco plants and encourage root growth; after about ten leaves have grown, you also need to pinch off the tips and remove lateral shoots. Before the White Dew solar term, when the tobacco leaves develop a "toad-skin pattern," they can be harvested. After harvesting, cover the leaves with mugwort; once they have turned golden yellow from fermentation, thread the leaves and hang them to dry. After drying, place them in willow baskets, steam them over a pot, then press them into blocks one chi wide and two fingers thick using wooden molds.