294 



FARMERS' REGISTER— TO TOBACCO PLANTERS. 



of any article, as is eminently the case with India 

 as to tea, and America as to tobacco, the result 

 would inevitably be, that a whole crop made in tlie 

 greatest perfection in tlie country most congenial 

 to its production, will be worth more than if a part 

 were tine and a part inferior- — because that which 

 may be made in countries less favoral)le, will coni- 

 plele more with the inferior than with the fine. 



If I am incorrect in this hypothesis, I yield all 

 pretensions to logic. But if you admit my reason- 

 ing to be correct, go on to perfection and profit by 

 your improvements, which is the wish and desire 

 of "i'our friend, 



FREDERICK ORONOKO. 



CURING TOBACCO. 



To the ^iidhor of the Address to the Tobacco Planters. 



Many of we planters make grateful acknow- 

 edgements to the author of the above address. We 

 sincerely hope that he will be so very obliging as 

 to answer the following queries: 



1. Is sunning tobacco, after cutting, necessary ; 

 and how long early in the season .'' 



2. Whether the firing of tobacco should be in 

 open or closed barns .'' 



3. How many fires, and the heaps or sizes of the 

 fires, should be in a 20 foot square room, nearly 

 full of green tobacco ; and what length of time these 

 fires should be kept up, on the first of firing in such 

 a room of tobacco ? 



4. After cutting early in the season, how many 

 days should intervene, before the tobacco is suffi- 

 ciently yellow for the first firing .' 



5. Alter the first firing shall commence, and it 

 shall be continued for some days, say six, eight, or 

 ten days, will any injury arise to the tobacco by 

 putting out the fires late at night and rekindling 

 them in the morning.' What kind of wood is pre- 

 ferable, and whether green or seasoned .' 



6. If cutting ripe enough and pursuing the above 

 means will be certain to secure to the tobacco the 

 saleable colour ; that is to say, the fat lightwood co- 

 lour, or any other colour in demand .' 



■ 7. If there be any other means of curing tobacco 

 with the most desired colours, be pleased to state 



them. APPOMATTOX PLANTER. 



August 6, 1827. 



To the Appomattox Planter. 

 I will, with pleasure, endeavour to answer your 

 several inquiries, as stated in the Enquirer of the 

 6th instant. 



1st. Sunning the tobacco is very necessary after 

 cutting; but it should not be kept in the field any 

 longer than to kill and make it sufficiently limber 

 , for removal to hang on sticks, upon a scaffijld at 

 ' the tobacco house ; where it should hang in open 

 airy order, at first letting in the sun well upon the 

 stalks. In this way the butt-end of the stalks, and 

 big ends of the leaves and stems will get a great 

 deal of the sun's heat, which they re([uire in cur- 

 ing. And as fast as the leaves contract and draw 

 up from heat, and in drying, the plants should be 

 moved up nearer to each other, in closer and closer 

 order, to prevent the lower parts of the leaves from 

 being exposed to the sun. 



It would be a great advantage to split the stalks, 

 as it facilitates the curing very much. They should 

 be split from the top down within two or three 



inches of the cutting point. The plants thus split 

 siiould straddle the sticks, and the sticks should 

 range north and south, so that the morning's sun 

 will shine on one side of the stalks and the even- 

 ing's on the other. In this manner it should take 

 the sun and open air night and day, until it be- 

 comes well cured, and until the stalks and stems, 

 and leaves get dry. Showers of rain, and even hea- 

 vy shoioers, in this situation, while the leaf con- 

 tinues green, is of little disadvantage ; because it 

 were a small part, except the under side of the 

 leaves w hich are now uppermost. Nearly all of the 

 rich ingredients being on the upper side of the plants 

 as they stand growing. 



But long, hot, sultry spells of rainy or very damp 

 weather, ot many days continuance, will mould, 

 mildew, rot, or wash it to destruction, particularly 

 after a considerable progress in curing. And when 

 the weather comes from the eastward, preceded by 

 several damp cloudy days, you may count upon a 

 long spell, and then you should commence housing 

 belbre the rain sets in, or much falls; and use fire 

 as the weather may require. 



2d. The firing should be in close houses; the 

 closer the better. And the more windows, in rea- 

 son, the better, all with tight shutters, to shut out 

 the damp in long wet spells, and let it in when 

 wanted to bring the tobacco in order. No tobacco 

 can be finally well cured without coming and go- 

 ing frequentI)^ 



You cannot have any command of your tobacco 

 as regards weather, without close, tight houses — 

 which are of very great importance. 



3d. Five fires, dispersed, are enough for a room 

 twenty leet square ; and they should not be large, 

 but burn free, steady, and gradual, and would be 

 the better of never going entirely out, if you in- 

 tend curing by this destructive mode. But why 

 make fires in the house at all ? As smoke is now 

 so very objectionable, why not do the little firing 

 that may be necessary in very long, wet or damp 

 spells, to prevent mould, mildews, &,c. in the man- 

 ner that plank is steamed and dried at saw mills; 

 by stoves, or running a ditch or two through the 

 house, and cover with fla't slabs of rock, or arch 

 over with brick, and make the fire at one end, out 

 of doors, and the heat and smoke will pass through, 

 and give heat enough in a close house, with the 

 windows all shut, to prevent mould, mildew, &c. 



4th. Those who cure without firing, or with as 

 little as possible, let it remain after it turns yellow, 

 until the stalks and stems get dry, as well as the 

 leaves, in the open air and sun, if the weather per- 

 mits, or in the house, by the aid of fire, if necessa- 

 ry. But if the stalks, stems, and leaves get dry 

 before the leaves get sufficiently yellow, let it hang 

 until it becomes very high indeed from wet or 

 damp weather, and bulk it in this damp, soft, high 

 order, in very large bulks, in a very close room, 

 and cover well with straw, &c. with heavy weights 

 on the top, and let it remain till it gets warm ; exam- 

 ine it every three to four hours, night and day, and 

 so soon as it yellows sufficiently, hang it up in the 

 house if the weather be wet or very damp, and 

 fire it, moderately and gradually until dry. 



5th. This inquiry has been answered, except as 

 to the wood. 'I'he best kinds of wood are those 

 which make the most heat and weakest smoke. 

 The kinds best for smoking bacon, are the worst 

 for firing tobacco, since the smoke flavour has be- 

 come objectionable. 



