TOBACCO. .3.51 



from whence they are transplanted, the first 

 rainy weather, into a ground disposed into 

 little hillocks, like a hop garden. In a month's 

 time they become a foot high ; they are then 

 topped, and the lower leaves pruned off; in 

 about six weeks after they attain their full 

 growth, and begin to turn brownish, by which 

 mark the tobacco is judged to be ripe. The 

 plants are cut down as fast as they ripen, 

 heaped up, and laid all night to sweat ; the 

 next day they are carried to the tobacco house, 

 which is built to admit as much air as is con- 

 sistent with keeping out rain, where they are 

 hung separately to dry, for four or five weeks, 

 and are then taken down in moist weather, 

 otherwise they would crumble to dust. After 

 this they are laid upon sticks, and covered up 

 close to sweat for a week or two longer ; and 

 are then stripped and sorted, the top being 

 the best, the bottom the worst tobacco ; and 

 are then made up in hogsheads, or Formed 

 into rolls. Wet seasons are carefully laid 

 hold on for all this work, else the tobacco 

 will not be sufficiently pliable.* 



* Wynne's British Empire in America. 



