8. Hand

In the distant as well as the recent past, all whole leaf tobacco of commerce was tied into bundles of 20 or 30 similar leaves, using an additional leaf as the “tie” or wrap at the stem end of the bundle. These so-called hands of tobacco could be more efficiently handled, packed into bales or wooden hogsheads (huge, squat barrels) for transport by wagon or ship, and subsequently handled after unpacking.