CURING. 71 



tember; they should not be cut immediately after a 

 heavy rain unless in danger of frost, as a portion of the 

 gum washes out, but should be allowed to stand 2-3 days. 

 The cutting should not begin until the dew is off; a 

 cloudy day is best, for when the sun shines hot, they 

 will not have time to wilt sufficiently before they will 

 sunburn, which may be known by the leaves turning 

 ■white and looking puckered. Commence on one side 

 of the piece, laying the plants all one way, in order to 

 facilitate loading. The plants may, most of them, be 

 broken off easily, by gently bending them over one way 

 and another. Small plants, which will not break, may 

 be sawed off with an old saw or cut with a hatchet. If 

 the sun shines too hot, the plants should be turned over 

 carefully to prevent burning. After lying an hour or 

 two to wilt sufficiently, so as not to break by handling, 

 they may be carted to the bam." 



In the words of Schneider, " when the plant begins to 

 yellow, it is time to put it away. It is cut off close to 

 the ground, by turning up the bottom leaves and striking 

 with a tobacco-knife, formed of an old scythe — such knives 

 as are often used for cutting com. Let it lie on the 

 ground for a short time to wilt, and then carry it to the 

 tobacco-house, when it may be put away in three dif- 

 ferent modes, by ' pegging,' ' spearing,' and ' splitting.' 

 Pegging tobacco is the neatest way and best, yet the 

 slowest. It is done by driving pegs about 6 inches long 

 and ^ inch or less square into the stalk, about 4 inches 

 from the big end of the stalk ; and these pegs are driven in 

 with a mallet, in a slanting direction, so as to hook on 

 to the sticks in the house. It is then put on to a ' horse,' 



