202 TOBACCO LEAF. 



over, the fourth, or higher tiers, do not cure as well as 

 the lower ones, the colors are not as good or uniform, 

 and the leaf is more liable to have white veins. The 

 illustration, Fig. 40, is an outside view of a barn, 30x45 

 feet, three tiers high, or ] 7 feet from the sill to the 

 plate. Fig. 41 gives the cross section of the end of the 

 barn, with the boards removed. Fig. 42 is a sectional 

 view, lengthwise, through the middle of the barn, show- 

 ing the posts through the center, and the girders on 

 which the poles rest. A width of 30 feet is very con- 

 venient for a three-tier barn, and a building so con- 

 structed is easily and thoroughly aired. The first tier 

 of poles, as shown in Fig. 41, b b, should be 7 feet from 

 the ground, which will allow of free ventilation from 

 beneath, after the plants are hung, thereby lessening 

 the liability to stem rot, pole or cold sweat, or injury 

 from moisture arising from the ground. The two tiers 

 above the first one should be five feet apart, which will 

 bring the second tier 12 feet from the ground, and the 

 third 17 feet. About a foot or two before the second 

 tier, c c, at each end of the barn, and at each bent, a 

 stout tie girder, 5x5 inches in size, should extend 

 across the barn, which will strengthen it very much ; 

 some, however, think that no tie girders are necessary 

 on the ends of the barn. This tie girder is shown in 

 Fig. 41, a a. The middle girders, lengthwise of the 

 barn (Fig. 42, a a), should also be of 6x6 timber. 

 They are sometimes made smaller, but the great weight 

 on them, wh%n the barn is full of tobacco, requires this 

 size, at least. The upper girders should be braced, but 

 the lower ones need not be ; the latter can be made to 

 take out at will, when it is called a slip girder. The 

 posts, plates and beams should be 7x7 inches, and the 

 outside girders, on which the boards are nailed, should 

 be 4x6 inches. Sometimes 4x4 inch timber is used for 

 these, but it is too small and will be likely to spring, 



