88 MANAGEMENT OF THE FORCING-HOUSE. 
ing at any cigar factory. When wanted for fumigating 
purposes they should not be too dry, else they will blaze, 
instead of slowly smouldering and forming a dense 
smoke. In case the stems are too dry, they may be 
moistened by sprinkling water upon them; a better way, 
however, is to store the stems in a moderately damp 
place, and then they are always in good condition for 
burning. If they blaze while the house is being fumi- 
gated, much of their value is lost, and it is also said that 
plants are positively injured in such cases, although our 
experience has not supported this view. 
Tobacco stems may be burned in a variety of ways. 
Some gardeners merely pile the required quantity upon 
a brick or stone floor in the house and set fire to it by 
means of paper or shavings. An old coal scuttle answers 
the purpose very well. Fig. 30 represents a home-made 
tobacco-stem burner which we have designed, and which 
is perhaps as simple, serviceable, and easily managed as 
any in use. The body of the burner is made of heavy, 
galvanized sheet-iron. It closely resembles a stove pipe 
in form, but is about 7 inches in diameter and 2 feet 
in length. The bottom is made of the same 
material, and is perforated by about a dozen 
holes, each 3%-inch in diameter. Four legs 
support the burner and keep the bottom 3 
inches from the floor. A handle at the top 
completes the device. When filled, the stems 
being packed sufficiently close to insure their 
burning, it contains an amount that will answer 
for a house of 4,000 to 6,000 cubic feet. Much, 
of course, depends upon the tightness of the 
house, and considerable variation will also be 
found in the strength of the stems. Occasion- 3. 4 nome- 
ally some will be had which are much weaker ae 
than those last used, and hence larger quantities 
must be employed. It has been our practice to test each 
new lot of stems to determine their strength before they 
