CULTURE AND MANAGEMENT OF TOBACCO. Igg 



Having now arrived at the time when it is supposed the planter 

 has secured and cured the crop, we proceed to give some direc- 

 tions in its future management and preparation for market — re- 

 marking that many, after all their previous care and. labor, lose its 

 profits to a good extent by either a want of knowledge as to its 

 management, or a carelessness which is inexcusable upon their 

 part. 



After the tobacco has been thoroughly cured in stem and stalk, 

 it is then ready to commence stripping, or taking the leaves from 

 the stalk. In this process the plant first passes through the hands 

 of the most experienced laborer on the farm, who takes off the bad 

 or injured leaves and ties them neatly in bundles of eight or ten. 

 The plants that are thus culled are given to others who strip off 

 the remaining leaves, and tie them in bands of six or eight leaves, 

 wrapping tightly and neatly, with the tip of the leaf used as a tie, 

 so as to form a head of one a half to two inches in length. Care 

 should be had to make the bundles as uniform in size and color as 

 possible, as it adds to the beauty of sample by which it is to be 

 sold. When the day's work is done, let the tobacco, neatly 

 pressed through the hands, be put in a winrow, as it is termed, 

 viz : laid straight in a bulk or pile of sufficient length to hold the 

 day or two day's work, and only the width of one bundle and one- 

 half, reversing each course so as to have the heads of the bundles 

 out. Here it may remain until stripping season is over or the 

 crop stripped. The first good drying spell of weather after the 

 stripping, get the smoothest and smallest sticks upon which the 

 tobacco was hung and hang up the tobacco to dry, carefully shak- 

 ing it out when hung, so as to secure a uniform drying. When 

 the weather again becomes moist enough to bring the tobacco in 

 case, take it down and carefully bulk it away as before directed, only 

 taking more care to straighten the bundles and make the bulk much 

 wider ; this is done by lapping the bundles over each course, sim- 

 ilar to shingling a roof, the bulker having his knees upon the bulk, 

 carefully laying down the tobacco as it is straightened and handed 

 to him. When the bulk is finished, weigh it down heavily with 

 logs or some heavy weight. Care must be taken that the tobacco 

 does not imbibe too much moisture, or get too high in case before 

 it is bulked, as it will injure. So soon as the tobacco becomes soft 

 enough to handle without breaking, it may be put in bulk, and 

 should the stems break a little under the pressure of the bulker's 



