81 



covered. Care should be taken that the stack does not 

 sweat. If it gets warm, give it air. This will have a 

 tendenc}^ to arrest it. 



I pack about 375 pounds in a case. The cases are 3J 

 feet long, 2^ feet wide, 2J feet deep. When nailed up, 

 put 1 J inch posts in each corner of the boxes, and nail 

 it strong. When packing in boxes or cases, which must 

 be thoroughly seasoned, lay the butts of the hands to the 

 ends of the box, straighten out the hands, pack very- 

 close, and fill the box to the top ; then place a follower 

 on the top of the tobacco, the size of the box, and press 

 it down by means of a press, made for the purpose, or 

 some other means {a tobacco press can be made for two or 

 three dollars). Having pressed this sufiSciently, remove 

 the follower, and fill up as before, and continue till the 

 case is full, when it can be nailed, and placed in the 

 barn or other outhouse to be kept dry. It is then ready 

 for the market. 



In September or October it will have sweat sufficiently 

 for the manufacturer, if it is packed in good condition. 

 This will require some judgment and experience, as on 

 the sweating will depend in part the value of the to- 

 bacco. A good tobacco, imperfectly sweat, will mate- 

 rially lessen its value. If some hands should be too dry 

 at packing, they should be moistened on some damp 

 day ; if too moist, they should be allowed to dry. Some 

 hands will be wet, or greasy, as it is called; and they 

 should not be packed in this state. 



It is very difficult to raise and cure a crop of tobacco 

 perfectly by receipt. A person about to engage in rais- 

 ing tobacco to any extent, would do well to hire some 

 person that is well acquainted with the raising of the 

 plant and the process of stripping and curing. I know 



