The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1895-02-06

advance the heat too fast causes it to
redden or splotch. No directions, no
matter how minute, will suit every
barn, because no two are exactly
alike, or will respond to heat IN the
same manner. It is only by expert
ence that we learn to cure successful.
ly. Advance the heat as directed till
120 degrees are reached, where re-
main three hours; proceed as before
to 130, where remain till the leaf IN
the two lower tiers are killed, then
raise the heat two and a half degrees
an hour to 135 and remain till leaf in
upper tiers is cured Then advance
FIVE degrees every hour to 145 or $50,
where remain until the sap is all out
of the stems and they snap like glass.
Remember to kill the stem at lowest
temperature possible, never go beyond
$50, and as much below this as posi-
bic. To go beyond the temperature
indicated, you detract from weight,
damage the general quality of the leaf
in its texture, and drive out the oil 1t
should contain. We hear of the favor
that high heat gives. My observation
in this particular has been loss of
weight from IS to 20 per cent. damage
to the quality of the leaf and many
barns destroyed by fire. Always eS-
anime the barn carefully on the wind.
ward side and see that stems are ali
dry before stopping the fire.
CONSTRUCTION OF CURING BARNS.
There are two kinds of barns used
for curing tobacco. one constructed OF
poles and the other an ordinary franz
ed building. The log barn is notched
up in the usual manner of log cabins,
close built, fifteen feet high from the
ground to the plate and can be made
either 16x16 or 1SX20. with single roof.
The cracks between the logs are filed
in with lime, mortar or clay. and
made as near air tight as possible.
Door in oneend should be LETT four feet
wide. Shed over tie door end, under
which to string the tobacco leaves and
keep it out of the sun. Also narrow
shed on furnace end to protect the fire
in rainy weather This completes the
outside work. The tier poles on inside
on which the sticks of tobacco are
placed should be made of sawed scant-
ling SKA. The brackets into which the
poles are fastened are 2x6. Stotf nail
ed uprightly, firmly against the sides
of the building, four feet apart IN the
clear and into which notches cut 4N4
inches. The tier poles let into these.
The notches are cut eighteen inches
apart. The bottom row of tier poles
should be seven and half feet from
the ground. AS will be seen from this,
barns eighteen feet high would be five
tiers high in the body, with room left
for two short ones in the roof.
The frame building referred to is. OF
course, a neater and better building,
but more expensive. 1t is weather
boarded outside, ceiled inside and
walls filled in with saw dust, with
sheds back and front as before des-
cribed and built eighteen feet high.
The inside fixtures are just the same.
The furnace in which the fire is built
that generates the heat for drying the
leaf, in the small barns are placed IN
the centre of one end In the large
barns. two furnaces are better and are
built twenty-five inches from the
sides, extending eight or nine feet IN
side. Flues are placed in these furna-
ces Twelve inches in diamter, which
conducts the heat through the build
ing. and which is increased or less
ened according to the fire in them.
PACKING.
After leaf is cured out, allow it to
hang in the barn, with door open a
dav and night. It will become plant
and can be handled without breaking.
Take the leaves from the sticks and
carry in baskets to pack house. Pack
in bulks, turning the end of stems
out and tapping tails together. Two
or three thousand pounds can be safely
put in these bulks, and if put down IN
safe order will keep well and improve
in appearance
ASSERTING.
The number of grades vary accord
ing to the quality Of the tobacco. In
average tobacco there will be one
grade lungs two of cutters and three
of wrapper. If tobacco is heavy, lugs
will run light, and perhaps one grade
of cutters will have to be made. The
leaf is assorted according to its color,
BODY, size and texture The lugs
and cutters are tied in bundles ofeight
and ten leaves EACH Wrappers five
or six. Never handle your tobacco If
in dry order, and always offer it for
sale in plant, supple condition, if you
expect it to bring its value-at the
same time, never allow it to get too
soft as it will mould and rot in a short
time.