EXPERIENCE OF PRACTICAL GROWERS. 



37 



Ailer assorting, it should be corded up awhile, in a 

 Jry place, that the buts may be thoroughly cured be- 

 fore packing in the cases. The pile is made with the 

 buts out, and tips interlapping in the middle, at every 

 other course, at the ends turning the buts toward the 

 end. Get upon the pile upon the knees, take hold of 

 the but of a hank with one hand, drawing the leaves 

 at the tip together with the other, and placing it upon 

 the pile in that position, immediately putting the knee 

 upon it. After the pile is finished, it should be cov- 

 eted over with boards, to keep it from drying up, and 

 a few days before packing into the cases, should be 

 well weighted down, which will save a great deal of 

 pressing at that time. Such a pile should be made 

 only about two and a half feet or three feet high, and 

 then closely watched to prevent a premature sweat, 

 which often, if the weather be mild, will take place 

 in such a pile, which will not be sufficient to render 

 the tobacco fit for working, but which, if not inter- 

 cepted at the commencement, will be sufficient to 

 prevent a proper sweat afterwards. Check, therefore, 

 the first symptoms of heat in such a pile, by opening 

 the pile, and repacking it, shaking out the hanks and 

 giving them time to cool off. 



PACKING. The cases are made of cheap pine lum- 

 ber, three feet eight inches long by two feet six inches 

 wide and high, outside measurement ; they should be 

 made tight and strong ; there should be corner-pieces 

 nailed in one and a half inch square, nailing to them 

 well from both ways. The tobacco is packed in, with 

 the buts towards each end ; taking hold of the but 

 with one hand, the tip with the other, and giving the 

 hank a slight twist, lay it in the case in that position. 

 A lever or screw can be used to do the pressing, 

 whichever is the most convenient. From 360 pounds 

 to 380, ia the proper weight for packing; though if 

 the tobacco is very dry, 400 pounds will probably not 



sweat too hard; and if quite wet, (which it ner 

 should be,) 350 may. 



After being packed, the tobacco should never b 

 kept in a damp cellar; a good tight Larn or other out- 

 building, where the cases can stand on a floor, ia the 

 best place. The crop usually passes from the handi 

 of growers, into those of speculators and dealers, 

 before the sweating season. The first symptoms of 

 sweating appear about as soon as settled warm wea- 

 ther comes, usually the fore part of May ; it then com- 

 mences to grow warm, and wet to appearance, which 

 increases for about three weeks, when it reaches its 

 culminating point and commences to cool off. One 

 unaccustomed to the crop, upon examining it at thia 

 period, would be sure to think it was rotting, but if 

 not too damp when packed, there is no danger. Some- 

 tin^ if a case is known to be too wet, the lids can 

 be started, to give a little vent to the steam and gases 

 which are generated, and this is about all that can be 

 done for it ; and it is far safer to see that the proper 

 condition is secured before packing, than to do even 

 this. The weight will commence to decrease about as 

 soon as the heat commences, and it has been ascer- 

 tained by weighing at the various stages, that more 

 than half of the shrinkage is accomplished by the time 

 that tho sweat has reached its culminating point. 

 About ten per cent is allowed for the shrinkage of 

 crop, in just the right state when packed ; if wetter, it 

 will shrink as high as twelve or thirteen per cent, and 

 if very dry, it may shrink less than ten per cent. 



The different grades usually bring about the follow 

 ing prices : Wrappers, fourteen cents per pound ; 

 Seconds, seven or eight cents ; Fillers, three to four 

 cents. The proportion of the different grades in a 

 good crop should be, Wrappers, three fifths, and Sec- 

 onds and Fillers, each one fifth. 



No. X.-BY E. H. DENNIS, WAYNE COUNTY, IND. 



AN intimate, practical acquaintance with the method 

 of raising tobacco in the rich lands bordering on the 

 rivers in Missouri, and having myself grown the crop 

 there, will, I hope, enable me to give such information 

 as may be valuable to those of less experience. 



SELECTION OF SEED depends upon the kind of land 

 you have and the quality of tobacco you wish to raise. 

 Rich, fertile bottom-lands will grow only heavy, strong 

 tobacco, and it is the interest of the farmer to select 

 that kind of seed that will produce the plant of the 

 greatest weight ; in other words, to make weight the 

 prominent object in the result of the crop. Thinner, 

 poorer land will produce tobacco of lighter weight, but 

 of finer and more desirable quality, and one that will 

 bring a correspondingly higher price. The " Orinoco" 

 tobacco ia raised extensively in Missouri and Kentucky 



for heavy tobacco, and is known in market as " Ken 

 tucky Leaf." The seed for the finer qualities passes 

 (as does the other also) under different names, but may 

 be procured in Pike and Galloway counties, Missouri, 

 and in Virginia ; the " Orinoco," and kindred kinds, 

 in Howard and Chariton counties in Missouri. I 

 should suggest that the seed may be procured through 

 the agents of express-companies at Glasgow, Bruns- 

 wick, and Renick for the " Orinoco," and at Louisiana 

 or Fulton for the other qualities. I would recommend 

 the culture of the coarser, heavier kinds, for the reason 

 that the finer quality needs much more care and expe- 

 rience in the handling, in order that it may go into 

 market in a condition to command such a price as its 

 quality, when well handled, entitles it to. 



THE PLANT-BED should be made the first uay after 



