CUEING. 93 



through the middle of the building for the poles or rails, 

 each 12 feet in length, to be laid upon ; or if sticks are 

 to be used (as hereafter described) lay rails or poles once 

 in 4 feet for the sticks to rest upon. Place a ventilator 

 upon the centre of the roof, and have one board in every 

 4 feet hung on hinges, to be opened or closed at pleasure. 

 If made with a floor and a cellar underneath, to let down 

 the tobacco into when ready stripped, it is all the better. 

 "We will now return to the crop, and commence hanging 

 it. A common way of doing it is by tying with common 

 twine. Tie the end of the string tightly around the butt 

 of one plant, and by placing it against the side of the 

 pole nearest you, put another plant on the opposite side 

 and carry the string over and around it, placing the plants 

 alternately on each side of the pole until filled, then 

 fasten the string, place the pole in the right place (it 

 should be nearly right before it is filled), and commence 

 on the next one in like manner, having some one to 

 hand the plants as wanted. As to how thick to hang it 

 depends upon the size of the plants, but in good-sized 

 tobacco about 9 inches on each side is close enough, that 

 will be from 30-32 on each pole of 12 feet ; place the 

 poles 15-18 inches apart. Another method of hanging, 

 much practised and approved by many, is to hang on 

 slats or sticks sawed out 4 feet long, 1^ inches wide, and 

 f inch thick. Chestnut timber is generally used here. 

 The common lath answers very well for this purpose. 

 An iron made something like a chisel is used to slip on 

 to one end of the sticks, which are sharpened a little at 

 one end to receive it. It is made about 8 inches long, 

 wedge-shaped at the small end, and a socket J inch by 



