, 1842-02-19

an indefinite number OF handtuls toSelner
the stalks in an erect position forming a sor
of circle of any diameter, from two to sly
feet or more, at convenient distances in the
field; and these shocks should be Immediately
and efiectua.ly covered with green bushes
or something else previously in place. for the
purpose to exclude the rays Of the sun.
The next operation (after the heat of the
sun has declined) is to emove the tobacco &c
the house or scafold, and hanging the
plants on sticks four and a half feet long
and about one ipch square. The common
pine affords the best timber for this purpose,
which will rive straight and with ease
From ten 10 twelve plants, according TO
size, may be hung on each stick, the width
of two fingers to be left between each plant.
The scaf1oIds are raised four or five feet from
The ground, and the poles to receive the
sticks are placed four feet apart, and are
made to range east and west, so that the
sticks will be north and south. TO give both
sides an equal benefit from the sun. The
tobacco is commonly removed from the field
TO the house or scaflold upon the shoulders Of
the labourers, carefully put on and taken of
to avoid b~ruising; but if the distance is great.
carts are used. greater care being necessary
to avoid bruising. This is considered so i'm
portant that some judicious planters, make
temporary scatFolds in the field, preferring the
risk Of injury from a smart rain to that Of
b%ruising by moving it far in n green state.
There are two modes of curing tobacco.
One in the house altogether BY fire, the 9TH
er by the sun on scaffold. The fist is es-
teemed the best and most efectual, but it is
attended with great risk. Our houses are
generally four sided pens. twenty feet square.
huilt of round poles, and about twelve feet
pitch. The joists are placed four feet apart.
the ~ralters Immediately over them, having
| ca ms corresponding with the juist>. three
feet perpendicular from each other, SO as to
afford ranges or tiers for the tobacco up to
the crown; and the same tiers are fixed be-
low the ioists and at the same distance by
extending poles across The house between the
logs of the pen. The house IS covered tight
ly with pine boards, and if it is intended to
cure by fire, the openings between the logs
should be closed to prevent the escape OF
heat. Such 4 house will cure from 2 to 5000
VT. according TO the quality Of the tobacco.
If it be decided to cure by fire, the tobacco
is carried Immediately from the field TO the
house, hung on sticks, as before described.
and these sticks crowded as close together
on the tiers rs they can cossibIy be, so as to
exclude all air from TIE tobacco. 1t remains
in this situation, until the leaves OF the plants
become yellow or oil the colour of hickory
leaves just before they fall. This will gen.
orally happen in four or five days, when the
sticks must be spread and placed at their pro-
per distances apart in the house. About six
or seven inches is the proper distance, or
any other that will prevent the plants on di(-
ferent sticks touching each other. A mode
rate heat which is gradually increased to a
very strong one, is then applied, by making
different ranges of fires Throughout the house.
and that wood is preferred and sought for,
which will make the greatest heat with the
least blaze and smoke. The fires must be
continually kept up until the curing is effect
ed. (say from four to six days. when not only
the leaves. but the whole stalk becomes dry;
and changes from a green or yellow, to a
light brown colour.
If it is moi to be cured by fire, the tobac-
is brought TO the scaffold and hung, and
the sticks are crowded in the same way on
The scafio!d, until the same yellow colour is
impaired to the leaves; and som planters are
30 particular as TO cover their scaflolds with
bushes during this crowded state, TO pre-
vent un-burning, when the propertime arrives
which is indicated by yellow colour Of the
eaves,the sticks are thined and placed at such
distance as to admit the influence of the sun
md air, and if the weather is warm and fair,
n five or six days, the curing will be SO far
as to justify the removal of the to- 2
'acco into the house, when it must be finally {
nd properly arranged, and the cure will be t
r aJ,,,I1y ,,oo,o,l:nLol H., - - n