Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1863-10-02
Raising Tobacco.

~" 'G'N'J 'N'N ~ -
months from the time of setting, before
they are ready to cut. Any one used to
the cultivation of the crop knows when
it is ripe; the veins of the leaves are
swollen, the leaves begin to look spotted,
and feel thick and gummy. The ends OF
the leaves will crack on being doubled up.
After it is ripe, the sooner it is cut the
better, as it is liable to injury by frost or
hail, and will not increase in weight as
fast as the worms eat il, and the leaves
get broken in catching worms. The
plants will generally ripen from the first
to the fifteenth of September; they should
not be cut Immediately after a heavy
rain unless in danger OF frost, as a por-
ton of the gum washes out, but should
be allowed to stand two or three days.
The cutting should not begin until the
dew is off a cloudy day is best, for when
the sun shines hot, they will not have
time to wilt sufficiently before they will
sunburn, which may be known by the
leaves turning white and looking puck
cred. Commence on one side of the
piece, laying the plants all one way, in
order to facilitate loading. Most of the
plants may be broken off easily, by gent
ly bending them over one way and anoth-
er. Small plants, which will not break,
may be sawed off with an old saw or cut
with Ratchet If the sun shines too
hot, the plants should be turned over
carefully to prevent burning. After ly-
ing an hour or two, TO wilt sufficiently, so
as not to break by handling, they may be
carted to the barn or shed. Ample room
for curing should be provided, and if any
one expects to raise tobacco for any
length of time, it is best to have build
ing erected expressly for it.
SAVING SEED.-Strip the leaves off
from the seed stalks, and tie up the stalks
to a stake driven into the ground by
them, else they may be blown over, The
seed should be gathered before hard frosts
destroy its vitality when fully ripe the
pods or seed vessels may be picked off
and dried, then crush or roll them be-
tween the hands until the seeds are all
out; tue seeds may then be separated
from the chaf by passing it through
fine sieve.
CURING.--After the crop is all housed,
the building should be well ventilated by
opening doors, and the boards on hinges,
to secure free circulation of air through
out the building. On rainy, damp, or
very windy days, the building should be
shut up as tightly as possible, and opened
again on return Of fair weather. After
hanging several weeks, until the leaves
are mostly dried, the building should be
closed to prevent the dry leaves from be-
ing broken by the winds. 1t usually re-
quires about twelve weeks to cure the
plants thoroughly, that is, SO that there
is no more juice in the leaves or leaf
stems it matters not if the main stalk
is not dry, you need not expect it, and
there will be green leaves that will not
cure but freeze while green, and are
worthless. 1t will then be ready for
stripping.
STR1PPING-This must be done only
after damp, rainy spell has softened the
leaves, so that they may be handled with
out breaking it may then be taken from
the poles and stripped as fast as taken
down, or it may be carried into a cellar
and piled in heaps to be stripped at lei
sure; care must be taken, however, not
to let it remain too long in this condition,
as the green stalks would soon heat and
injure it. To strip a plant, bold tin the
left hand by the but, and with the other
pull off all the bottom leaves and drop
them on the ground in pile for "flers,'
or the poorest quality; next take off
three or four more, or until you come to
the best leaves, these put in another heap
tor the Seconds ) now strip off the re
mainder for wrappers, except such as are
badly worm eaten or otherwise Injured
such so into a poorer quality throw the
stalk away and put the handful of wrap
.pers under the left arm TO hold while
stripping another plant in like manner,
put the two handfuls of wrappers togeth-
er, taking pains to keep the butts even,
and bind them by firmly winding a leaf
around them at the but, commencing with
in half or three quarters of an inch
from the end, and winding down smooth
ly about two inches, part the "nand" and
put the end of the band between the
parts, then close it again, thus securing
The end and holding it tight. 1.-THE plants
are very large, the leaves from each may
be tied up separately instead Of putting
two together. Hands that will weigh
half a pound are about large enough