﻿Tobacco 
  Interests 
  of 
  North 
  Carolina. 
  179 
  

  

  the 
  two 
  joints 
  that 
  enter 
  the 
  furnaces, 
  which 
  are 
  of 
  IS-inch 
  

   iron, 
  and 
  are 
  from 
  12 
  to 
  15 
  inches 
  in 
  diameter. 
  The 
  pipe 
  

   is 
  elevated 
  gradually 
  about 
  1 
  inch 
  in 
  2 
  feet, 
  and 
  runs 
  con- 
  

   tinuously 
  from 
  both 
  liues 
  along 
  the 
  north 
  and 
  south 
  walls 
  

   and 
  the 
  west 
  wall. 
  In 
  the 
  centre 
  of 
  the 
  pipe, 
  along 
  the 
  

   west 
  wall, 
  which 
  lies 
  horizontal, 
  and 
  1 
  foot 
  from 
  the 
  wall, 
  

   the 
  return 
  pipe 
  makes 
  a 
  f, 
  and 
  conducts 
  the 
  draught 
  

   through 
  the 
  center 
  of 
  the 
  barn 
  back 
  to 
  the 
  east 
  wall, 
  rising 
  

   gradually, 
  so 
  as 
  to 
  make 
  the 
  perpendicular 
  distance 
  between 
  

   the 
  points 
  where 
  the 
  pipes 
  leave 
  the 
  furnaces 
  and 
  that 
  where 
  

   the 
  return 
  pipe 
  comes 
  out 
  through 
  the 
  wall 
  about 
  18 
  inches. 
  

   A 
  short 
  elbow 
  joint 
  in 
  a 
  small 
  chimney 
  receives 
  the 
  return 
  

   pipe 
  on 
  the 
  outside. 
  

  

  From 
  two 
  to 
  three 
  cords 
  of 
  dr}- 
  wood 
  sufiices 
  for 
  one 
  cur- 
  

   ing. 
  Barns 
  thus 
  coristructed, 
  with 
  flues 
  complete, 
  cosi 
  from 
  

   $50 
  to 
  $75 
  each 
  ; 
  packing-houses, 
  about 
  $200 
  each. 
  With 
  

   barn 
  and 
  flues 
  properly 
  constructed, 
  fires 
  are 
  always 
  the 
  re- 
  

   sult 
  of 
  carelessness, 
  and 
  yet 
  about 
  one 
  barn 
  in 
  twenty 
  is 
  re- 
  

   ported 
  as 
  lost 
  by 
  fire. 
  

  

  CURING 
  of 
  tobacco. 
  

  

  The 
  process 
  of 
  curing 
  tobacco 
  by 
  fire 
  is 
  the 
  most 
  difBcult 
  

   and 
  delicate 
  in 
  the 
  whole 
  course. 
  Experience 
  alone 
  will 
  

   make 
  a 
  curer 
  of 
  fine 
  tobacco, 
  and 
  that 
  only 
  of 
  one 
  who 
  

   possesses 
  nice 
  judgment, 
  excellent 
  powers 
  of 
  observation 
  

   and 
  care. 
  A 
  trifling 
  inattention 
  may, 
  at 
  a 
  critical 
  moment, 
  

   reduce 
  a 
  barn 
  of 
  the 
  finest 
  yellow 
  tobacco 
  to 
  the 
  lower 
  

   grades. 
  If 
  the 
  fires 
  are 
  allowed 
  to 
  die 
  out 
  or 
  decline 
  after 
  

   the 
  leaf 
  is 
  cured, 
  sap 
  remaining 
  in 
  the 
  stalks 
  or 
  stems 
  will 
  

   diffuse 
  itself 
  through 
  the 
  leaf 
  and 
  mar 
  the 
  color 
  irremediably 
  

   in 
  twenty-four 
  hours; 
  and, 
  on 
  the 
  other 
  hand, 
  too 
  much 
  

   heat 
  will 
  cause 
  sweating, 
  which 
  will, 
  unless 
  checked 
  by 
  

   speedy 
  ventilation, 
  both 
  injure 
  the 
  color 
  and 
  impair 
  the 
  

   body 
  and 
  texture. 
  In 
  order 
  to 
  prevent 
  this, 
  it 
  is 
  necessary 
  

   to 
  use 
  a 
  thermometer, 
  hung 
  level 
  with 
  the 
  tails 
  of 
  the 
  plants 
  

   on 
  the 
  lowest 
  tier, 
  and, 
  to 
  guard 
  the 
  degree 
  of 
  heat 
  b}' 
  con- 
  

   stant 
  care, 
  to 
  watch 
  day 
  and 
  night, 
  with 
  frequent 
  inspection 
  

   of 
  the 
  plants, 
  generally 
  selecting 
  some 
  one 
  plant 
  as 
  a 
  guide, 
  

   but 
  not 
  by 
  any 
  means 
  omitting 
  general 
  inspection. 
  

  

  CURING 
  TOBACCO 
  BY 
  CHARCOAL. 
  

  

  In 
  curing 
  by 
  charcoal, 
  as 
  soon 
  as 
  the 
  crop 
  is 
  housed 
  in 
  a 
  

  

  