Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1885-10-08
5flistellaueuns &eading.
HOW TO CURE TOBACCO.

HOW TO CURE TOBACCO.
INSTRUCTIOES BY Il VETERAN TOBACCO
GROWER.
Raleigh Correspondence News and Courier.
The barns in which the curing is done are
built of logs, pine as rule. The favorite
size is IS feet square and 20 feet high. The
logs which should be about inches in di-
ameter, are cut 18 feet in length, and notch
ed at the ends. After putting up seven or
eight logs all around, notch on a set of sitter
poles, about half the size of the logs, having
one close alongside each of the side walls,
and so dividing the distance for the others as
to make four ''rooms," or spaces, about four
feet wide. Put up three logs all around,
then five more tier poles exactly over the
first set, and so continue until there are five
sets of tier poles up. On top OF the barn put
a scabin roof" in which tiers are also placed,
and cover the roof with sawed or riven
clapboards, leaving at the top or ''comb" of
the roof 10 or 12-inth opening all the way
across. This is for ventilation and can be
arranged with broad board, to be closed or
left open as may be required. The whole
body of the building is made as nearly air.
tight as possible, by chinking with small
poles and daubing with mud mortar. Hinge
on a close fitting door for the doorway,
which is cut opposite and under one of the
tier pole spaces.
&. THE FLUEs.
At one end of the barn two of the bottom
logs are cut out to within five or six inches
of the side wall. Two furnaces are built in
this opening, one at each corner, about eigh-
teen inches from the side wall. They
are usually about six feet long, extending
about four feet inside the building and
showing about two feet outside. They
should be about eighteen inches square on
the inside, and built of brick arched over
the top, or of stone with a flat covering.
tend alongside the barn wall, about eighteen
inches distant, and atan inclination of about
one-half inch to the foot. Reaching the op-
posite corner they elbow and meet in It,
midway the end wall. Then return pipe
leads from the T back through the middle
of the building and out in chimney about
six feet high, on the surface end of the barn.
The fues are simply sheet iron pipe, ten or
twelve inches in diameter, and in laying
them down the same inclination should be
preserved-as near as may be-rising all the
way from the furnace to the entrance into
the chimney. Flues are constructed in va
even mud walls, covered with sheet iron
but the sheet iron f1ues, made in sets COM
plete, and sold at about 6 cents per pound,
are the best, and displace all other systems.
Heated air is what is needed to cure tobac-
co. and that must be secured in a safe and
convenient way.
| CUTTING AND FILLING THE BARNS.
From the 18th of August to the 18th of
September the plants are ripe and rlpenlng.
This is known by their yellow color and a
peculiar thickening of the leaf, termed
ssgraining." The plants are now to be cut.
This is done by splitting down the stalk
with knife to within four or five inches Of
the bottom leaf and cutting off just below
that. A boy or girl holds the ''sticks,"
one at time, and upon these the cutter
places the plants, one at a time. The
''sticks" are of pine, four and a half feet
long, one inch in diameter. The plants
should be fully ripe before cut. Each barn
should be filled with tobacco of uniform size
and color, so as to secure uniformity in Gu
ring. AS soon as it is cut the tobacco should
be placed in wagons (Which should be in
readiness) and placed upon long frame
suitably fitted to the wagon, so that it can
be hauled to the barn with the least possible
damage, by break or bruise. If it is allow
ed to lie upon the ground after being cut the
warmth of the sun will wilt it and unfit it
for curing.
Very large and brittle tobacco may be al
lowed to lie a very short time exposed to
the sun to prevent damage by breaking, but
all other should be Immediately carried to
the barn.
An eighteen foot square building as be-
fore described will hold about four hundred
and fifty sticks, placed on the tiers seven to
nine inches apart. The lower, or ground
tiers" are always left vacant, being put in
only for convenience in hosting the tobacco.
The plants should be we'll regulated on the
sticks, and in hoisting, each room should be
filled all the way from bottom to top, being
'shingled" in, so that the tips of the leaves
will come between the heads or butts of the
stalks of each successive tier. This is done
to allow the plants to swing clear, as the
leaf will not cure we'll when doubled up, or
too closely crowded together
THE PROCESS OF CURING.
Thus cut and arranged in the barn, the to-
bacco is ready for curing This is the most
critical juncture in the whole management,
and the process must be conducted by skill
ed operator. No barn of tobacco can be eX-
actly like another. 1t is larger or smaller,
coarser or finer, of different color, and con-
scquently the process ofcurng has to be va
ried according to the character OF the tobac-
co. If it comes very yellow from the hill
and is small of size, a much shorter time
will b. required for curing than if it is
greener and larger. From seventy-twO to
ninety-siX hours will be required to cure,
and as guide to those who are ignorant of
the methods, two extreme examples are
given.
/. Tobacco very yellow and ripenng thin.
Start the fires and gradually raise the tenn
perature to 1902 in three to five hours. Let
it remain at this about twelve hours, or un-
til the "lugs" (or bottom leaves) require
more heat to keep them from "sponging,"
or turning red. In five hours more 60 up
1100; let this stand until the tips are yel-
bowed as desired then go up two and
half or three degrees an hour until tenn
perature of 1902 is reached. Then close the
opening at the top of the barn and let the
temperature stand at 1902 until the leaf is
cured. This will require usually from tif-
teen to twenty hours. Then increase the
temperature three or four degrees an hour
until 1902 is reached. At this remain about
three hours; then reduce the temperature
to 1902 or 17OO and let that continue until the
stalk is cured. This can be ascertained by
an examination of the tobacco hanging over
the door or in a corner near the door. II
the stems of the tip leaves are perfectly dry
where they join the stalk, all is safe.
9. Tobacco large, with thick leaf, and
slightly yellow on the hill. Start the fires
and let the temperature 60 to so in from
three to five hours; then 60 to 9O0 in SIX
hours; then to 1902 in seven hours. Let it
stand at that until the "lugs" or bottom
leaves are as yellow as can be without
''sponging," or turning red. Then increase
| tho tom pnraf,Ira to I 100 and if that does not