The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1880-04-15
lConsinued from last ,ccek;.
.tSHIPPINa.o

does not possess size and substance is fit f~f
this grade, may be cured with fues better]
than in sny atber way. Smoke from the
spen woad Ere is objectionable, and WITH
the fue you get the heat. which 10 all that
is wanted, without the smoke. Curing
with. open wood fires belongs to- the past.
and none hut the old bour,"ns will contln-
ne the old practice. because they know n"
better. Taste and fashi n are against
smoke. and nothing else 10 NJ eded to Danish
the cid and recommended the new mode
II . dark colcr is desired. which is nat so
fashionable as formerly. it can he secured
as easily over f1ues as over wood dres. But
the.werld wants colory tobacco. and this
Can he p produced certainly better with the
aue than any other way. Besides, by HE
aue, the leaf is cured sweet . free from
pmoke-oe SCOT. asEe3 $3.50
a skiIHul curer can produce the ccl"r
most in demand. and by the due, better and
with more certainty than in any way.
The main object of the author is t" induce
planters who have never used fues to try
them for all grades. H' -eaa -. -aa So e.
7ra2 '.cuRINa BRIGHT YELLOW
There are two modes fer cutting yellow
tobacco: one with chafcoal and the other
with hues. The first is the primit,se mode.
bat is gradually giving place to the latter,
which ,seheaper and more efficient, and is
being adopted by most of eurbest planters.
The chief agent in either mode is hcat-a
dry. curing heat-to expels the sap from the
leaves. stems. and stalks Of the plants. and
catch the color, ypNou.t next to Naturrs leo
or, green. and to fr il indelihly. This Is
the science Of curing yehou tobacco. There
are seven sprismatic ~colers-that of tonacco
occupying the middle Of the prism. BY
the process of nature. leaves in drying de-
scend IN color from green, first to yellow.
then orange. then red, and finally lose all
color as they do decay. Now a quick dry
heat. so regulated as to dry out the l<af
no1us operandt of curing fancy tobacco.
A harm containing several hundred sticks
of green tobacco, six medium plants TN
each stick, holds aleng with tohaccn four
thousand five hundred to five thousand
pounds of water. which must be expelled
in iol eighty Ave To one nundred hours.
ChaIcaai produces an open, dry heat,
we'll suited for the purp Sc tut its prepa-
ration is costly. its use tedious. dirty and
,laborieus. and it ,deposits black dust on
.on the leaf that is objectionable. With
lfues constructed of stone or brick. and row
ored with sheet icon, or patent ones with
furnace and pipes. the wood is burn.d as
.eut in the forest or old field, and the whole
lONCSo Va SulI1S f" IS9c NoSNAy II y - -
berious, and the tobacco cured Herewith
free from dust, and has a sweeter favor
The fue process so MANY advantages over
all the other modes # curing tobacco. is so
safe. If properly constructed, and free from
smoke. that when its merits become better
known. IT will coLe into general use and
:supeIsede all other medes
The first step in rnring is called the
:steammg or following process. Medium
tobacco will require frnaa twenty-four to
thirty hours steamipg at about ninety de.
Riees to yellow sIficientlys hut tobacco
with male or less sap. larger or smaller,
will requile q Longer or shorter time to yell
low. Here the judgment of the cures must
would do = ell to procure the services of an
expert curer, if they have tobacco suitable
for fine yellow. The planter sases in the
enhanced value of his crop many times the
money paid to the curer, and besides, by
close attention, he may learI in one season
to cuie we'll hi&nself. Theory alone. how
ever COED. ard directions, however min
ate. will not do here. hut it 10 practice
that must qnalify one to cure we'll.
When it is remembered that no two
plants are exactly alike. no two barns pre-
cise'y similar in every particular. and that
the weather may change every hour. is il
reasonable that a fixed programme can I've
followed for every curing witt any reason
able hope or success The experienced
know better. On work SO variable, only
general directions can be given.
The next step is called fixing the color.
When the tobacco is sufficiently ytllowed,
and the greener ones of a light pea green
color, it is time to advance the heat to one
hundred degrees; observing the leaves
closely to detect sweating, which will soon
ridden and spoil color. unless driven off.
To do this, open the door and let it stand
open, and if after an henr or more the
sweet has not disappeared, open a space
between the logs on opposite sides OF the
barn to let in more air, and permit it to re-
main open until the tobacco has dried off
all the appearance of the sweet. Right st
this point more curings are spoiled than at
any other stage of the process. It may be
we'll to remember what is a fact, that at
least five curiugs are" spoilted by proceed