The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1859-02-15
$ SEVENTH yoLUME--NUMBER s4s.

and taste and is therefore not much liked by
buyers The better plan is to have sufficient
house-room and hang it thin in houses not too
large, which have windows and doors so as to ad-
nit light and dry air, and by closing them in bad
weather, exclude the rain and dampness, which
materially damage the tobacco, besides injuring the
color of it. After becoming dry and well cured,
the stem of the leaf being free from sap, the first
mild damp spell of weather it will become soft and
plant, and then be stript off the stalk It is first
pulled taken ofthe sticks and put in piles, then
the leaves strrt off and tied in bundles of about
one fifth or sixth Of lb in each. The bundle Is
formed by wrapping a leaf around the upper part
of the handful of leaves, for about four inches, and
tucking the end in the middle of the bundle by
way of confnine it. There ought if the quality
Of the crop will permit to be four sorts of tobacco
"IcYow," "Bright" "DuR' and s.Secoad'
When the tobacco is taken down. the "c,tllers take
each plant and pull off the defective and trashy
ground and worm-eaten leaves that are next to the
big end of the stalk, and then throw the.plant to
the next person. who strips off all the bright leaves
(and if there be any yellow leaves he lays Mcns on
one side until he has got enough to make bun
dle,) and throws the plant to the next, who takes
off all the rest being the snH;'' and the respective
strippers they get enough leaves in hand tie up
the bundles and throw them separation convenience
in bulking. Stripping should never be done in
dry, harsh weather, unless the tobacco is
bulked up almost fast as it is stript. The best
plan is not to take down more than you can con-
veniently tie up in a few hours; but if the planter
chooses he may take down large quantity and put
it in bulk, stalk and all, cover it with tobacco
sticks and it will keep many days, that, no mat
ter how the weather be, he strip out of the
bulk. However, this is a very bad, wastcful way.
Tobacco should not be too moist or "htgh" as it is
termed when put in the stalk bulks, or it will get
warm, the leaves stick to the stalk get bad smell
and change color; BESIDES if left too long it will
rot. 70 "bulk' tobacco requires Judgment and
neatness. Two logs should be laid parallel to each
other about thirty inches apart, and the space be-
tween them filled with sticks for the purpose of
Keeping the tobacco from the dampness of the
ground. The bundles arc then taken out ono at q
time, spret! out and snoothed down. which is
most conveniently done by putting it against the
breast and stroking the leaves downward smooth
and straight with the right hand. 1t Is then ptss-
| ed two bundles at a time to the man bulking.
lie takes them, lays them down and presses them
with his hands; they are laid two at a tme.in q
straight line-the broad part of the bundles
slightly projecting over the next two and two
rows OF bundles put in bulk, both rows car
ried on together, the heads being on the outside
and the tails just tapping one over the other in
regular succession. The bulk" when carried UP
to a convenient height should have a few sticks
laid on the top to keep it in place. 1t must often
be examined, and if getting warm it ought to be
immediately changed luu laIu Gown in anOtncr
bulk, of less height, and not pressed it lis laid
down; this is called 'swind rowing" being loose and
open, it admits tic air between the Of bundles,
hence the term. The process in this troublesome
but beautiful crop is to "condition 1T for packing.
The bright, yellow, and second tobacco will condition
best most generally in such Lulks as have just de-
scribed, but it is best to hang up the dull soon. al
most as stript Ifthe br,slt or seconds do not dry
thoroughly in the bnlks that shord also be hung upin
the house become weIltlred To properly hang up
tobacco to condition, snlasized sticks should be pro-
cured, and each nicely smooihed with the drawing
knife and Kept for that purpose. After it has once been
perfectly dry either hanging up in buFsso dry that
the heads easily knocked off and the shoulders of
the bundles crack upon pressure like -stens--it
should be taken down, if in buks removed the first
soft giving spell OF weather it is soft and
yielding enough, it viii become, to handle without
crumblng breaking, and it must be put in four, SIX
eight row buks of any convenient length and height
the higher the bctter-lad down close that little
Of the leaves shoulders possible shall be exposed
on the outsde of the bnlks. When completely put
sticks and logs OF wood, &c &c. the top to
weigh it down. Here it will keep sweet and in nice
der for packing at any tne matter what the wealth
may be; ifit conditioned properly it will not
change a particle while in the condition bulk. Mild
soft. pleasant weather is best to pack tobacco in.
Having now got tobacco ingood order, our prize
and hogsheads ready, the first mild day that can
spare; proceed to packing. Let me here observe
that while putting The tobacco in condition bulk, ell
the bundles that soft, had III SMELL ought to
be laid aside to be made sweet and dry by few hours
exposure to the The same precauton must bc
observed while packing uputting the tobacco in the
hogshead for aekig gets inside, shoes off, and
lays one bundle time in circle, beginning in the
middle aud each circle is extended until the outer
circle touches the slaves Of the hogshead; single
of bundles is then laid all round the edge the heads
of the llst circle then the bogshead in parellel
rows the middle being always raised little higher
than the outer edge. This is called aud these
continued until the hogshead be filled
The who is packing presses with his knees each
bundle in each course he lays it, and often stands
upon his feet and tramps heavily but cautiously all
ronnd aud across, TO get in as much as possible
This cOncuGes the almost ceaEclcsss round of labor
that is necessary to prepare for market this important
staple of country. It viii be that have
deavored to be explicit ana plain possible, and
have studied the greatest simplicity Of style snpposiug
that the suitable to the subject under con-
sideration. -ss---. d d. ~ sss e.- Il .5#.e
SHOCKING AFFAIR.-At Huntingdon, Tenn,
OH the 9th ult., benjamin Evans and his wife
went out to visit sick neighbor, leaving their .
children, son and adaughtcr two years old, fast
asleep. They had been absent about an hour,
when they discovered their own house in flames.
In few minutes they on the spot, but could
give no relief TO the Children the roof was already
fallen In and the house in light blaze all around.
The children were burnt TO ashes in sight Of their
mother The FIRE IS believed to be the work of
inccndiaries, and men of names of Higgs and