The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1881-01-18
Ses SIoomaeIN Sin'es.
HOUSE, FARM AND GARDEN.
Tobacco Stripping.
by MILTON n. EsnLEMAN.

that the weather becomes raluys UT tne
air damp enough to soften the leaves,
so that they can be crumpled in the
hand and not be in the least broken,
then it can be taken down from the
poles. Have help enough 80 that you
can pass the laths down one at a time
and pile them carefully on the floor,
when that is done, take "a lath and plac-
ing one end ON the floor press the stalks
down until you can pull the lath out
Then place each grip neatly on double
rank, so as to protect the tops of the
leaves, when done, this pile can be cover
ed by something to keep the air away
until you have time to strip it, or you
can proceed at once if you do not have
more than you can strip while the damp
spell lasts. In stripping, take each stalk
in your left hand, remove the four lower
leaves, and as many more as are sanded,
torn, dead, or broken. backed call them
filters, and lay them straight with
butts even, when you get enough to
make sheaf tie it with straw or soft
rope, and pile the sheaves in a double
rank, tapping the tops and pressing to-
gether to make the pile nearly air-tight.
Then if it is to lay awhile before being
tied up, cover with blankets, bags or car
pet. Moisten the covering on the out
side, and cover over this, bundles of
cornfodder moved together and it will
keep in good condition for months of
cold weather.
Strip off the good leaves in the same
way, tie in sheaves and rank up in the
same way, and cover even more care
fully unless you can take it at once to
the cellar, and in the cellar be careful to
never let the rank touch the wall nor
he nearer than eight inches to the cellar
floor.
SORTING.
Prepare warm cellar, or small room
with fire, so as to be comfortable, and
large table or two, appoint your most
careful and steady man to do the sorting,
for it is the most important post in con-
nection with tobacco culture. Let him
when he brings in sheaf of the good
tobacco place it on one end of the table
and examine each leaf singly, put only
the perfect ones with good color on the
wrapper pile, and all worm eaten, green
spotted or scabby leaves on the pile of
seconds, and as he finds some not fit for
seconds he will put them by to go with
the filters if he is smart it will require
three men to size and tie as fast as he
sorts. This they do by stretching the
leaves singly on the table, according to
lengths until they get ten leaves of the
same length or within an inch. Tie
them up and call it hand. Make the
the tie as short as possible and neat,
close to the butts, but not to cover the
ends, so that if there is any fat ribs, or
dampness in them it may work out
without causing mould. Every eve-
ming the new work should be piled up
nicely ON double ranks. Many farmers
measure them and pile all together that
are two feet long, and over, and call
them No. ] wrappers and the balance
No. wrappers, and if there is much of
it long leaves, it is better for them to do
so. The seconds must be sized, tied and
piled the same way, and the filters must
be tied and piled but it don't pay to size
them. When done cover the piles with
cloths, close as you can, but don't put
any weight on them, for it will cause
the tobacco to heat and it will lose
weight. Every Tobacco Farmer should
have good credit for neatness and homes
ty, Tor one crop, aids or hinders the sale
of the next in great degree.
BALING.
The tobacco should remain on rank
until sold for there is much better
opportunity for the dealer to examine il:
when sold then prepare to bale it. Make
box three feet long and fifteen inches
wide inside measure and two and one
half feet high, open above and below,
and having the lower end trifle larger
each way than the top. At one side
make door hung on hinges to open
downwards eight inches wide and
twelve inches from the bottom have
three balls of tobacco rope, and place the
end of one ball under the middle of the
door, the ball being behind the box, the
rope over the back and down on the
bottom, fix the other ropes one on each
side of the first and six inches from the
end of the box, then shut up the door.
fasten with button and it will hoid the
ropes tight. Then pack the tobacco in
one hand at time, butts against each
end, in regular layers until the box is
ntarly full, then you must have strong
plank lid that will go into the box, with
grooves cut in the lower side of it,
straight with the line of the ropes,
stretch the ropes across the box, so they
will be in the grooves and press the lid
down by jack-screw or lever until it
comes to the bottom of the door, then
open it and you can pull the ropes
through the cuts in the lid and tie each
one very firmly, then cut off the ropes
remove the pry, lift the box and the bale
l. n.
short hands place plank or two up
right in the ends of the box. and have q