The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1876-02-09

fires to barn twenty feet square. If
hickory wood is used. let it be sap
ling wood, cut about two feet long.
and green, or partially dry. Next
to coal, hickory furnishes the best
] yellowing heat.
The first step in curing is called
the sTEARTNG or WELCOMING process.
Medium tobacco will require about
thirty-six hours steaming. and about
ninety degrees Fahr.. to yellow suf-
feiently; butItobacco with more or
less sap, larger or smaller, may re-
quire longer or shorter time to yel-
low. Here the Judgment of the
curer must be his guide. Inexperi-
enced planters would do we'll to pro-
cure the services of an experienced
curer, if they have tobacco suitable
/ for coal curing. The planter saves,
in the enhanced value of his crop,
many times the money paid to the
curer; and besides. by close observ-
alton, he may learn in one season to
cure well himself. Theory alone,
however good, and directions, how
ever minute, will not do here; but it
is practice that must qualify one to
to cure we'll.
The next step in curing yellow to-
bacco is called FIXING TIE COLOR.
When the tobacco !s sufficiently vel.
lowed, at ninety degrees Fahr, the
best leaves of a uniform color, and
the greener ones of light pea-green
color, it is time to advance the heat
gradually but cautiously. Keep
the heat from ninety to ninety-fve
degrees Fahr.. say for about an hour,
then run mp from ninety y-five degrees
to one hundred degrees, keeping the
heat between those figures for about
tecO hours, observing to let the mer-
curry descend little every time af-
ter raising, before putting on more
coal-eoal only should be used now.
This is done to prevent sweating
the tobacco, continuous heat oper-
ating more to do than a riuctuating
! one, as described Should the to-
| baccO get into a sweat'at this or any
future stage, which is indicated by
the leaf becoming damp and Timber,
as though partially scaIded, raise
the fires little. and opensthe door
this creates current of heated air,
that will soon dry out the leaf The
/ thermometer may fall even ten de-
greeS here without injury to the col
or. 1t is advisable, however, that
the tobacco be kept free from sweat
ing, if possible. Next advance the
heat. running from one hundred to
one hundred and five for about toCO
hours. When at one hundred and
five degrees, you have arrived at the
most critical point in the difficult
process of curing bright tobacco.
The condition and appearance ofthe
tobacco must be the curer's gui,ies
No one can successfully cure tobac-
co till ne can distinguish the effects
of too mach or too little heat at this
important stage. | will try to ex-
plain what is very plain to every ex-
perlenced curer. but unknown to the
beginner.
Foo little heat in fixing color OPP
crates to stain the ftce side of the
leaf of a dull Spanish-browns color,
and is called $pOagiHg. anC;; may be
known to the novice by lis effects
being visible only on the fitce side;
too much heat reddens the leaf, first
in spots, visible on :he edge OF the
leaf, redder than the former, and
visible on both sides of the leaf.
Now, TO prevent sponging on the
one hand, aud spotting on the other,
is the aim of the experienced curer.,
Therefore, no definite time can be
laid down to run from one hundred
and five to one hundred and ten de.
grees. Sometimes one hour is .suf-
ticient; sometimes three is fast
enough. The same may be said in
running from one hundred and ten
| degrees 10 one hundred and twenty
degrees. While it is usual TO alt
vance in this stage about five de-
grees every two hours for medium
tobacco. the condition of the tobac-
co often indicates to the practiced
eye the necessity for slower or fas-
| ter movements. Remember, not TO
advance over one hundred and ten
degrees till the tails begin to curl
up slightly at the ends.
Arrived at one hundred and twen-
ty degrees, this, is tue curing pro-
cess. The heat should remain at or
near one hundred and twenty de-
grees, till the leaf is cured, which
takes from -four to eight hours, ac-
cording to circumstances. When
the leaf appears cured, advance five
degrees every hour up to one hum
dred and seventy degrees. and here
remain till stalk and stem are cured.
Iorun above one hundred and eigh-
ty degrees is to endanger scorching
the tobacco, and perhaps burning
both barn and tobacco. To recapit-
ulate; ~rRx xr1E
1st. steaming yellowing process 90 deg. for S6 h
ID. Fixing the color. 90to IS deg. for to b