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 ^-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 ^5^ 

 house, and considerable variation will also be | '' 



found in the strength of the stems. Occasion- jo. A home- 

 ally some will be had which are much weaker made a {^ r mi ' 

 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 



