CULTURE AND CURING IN VIRGINIA. 205 



CUTTING, HANGING, AND HOUSING OF TOBACCO. 



In from forty to fifty-five days after priming and topping tobacco is ripe enough to cut, this interval between 

 topping and ripening varying with locality, climatic conditions, character of the soil, healthiness and vigor of the 

 plants and the peculiar management of the growing crop. 



In the north-side counties of middle Virginia cutting begins about the 10th of September and continues until 

 danger of frost, or about the 5th of October. A few planters think that tobacco is more pliant and works smoother 

 when not quite ripe, but the majority of growers in this section prefer to cut when well ripened. 



. In Buckingham, Cumberland, and other upper south-side counties cutting begins about the 10th of September 

 and continues until October 10 or thereabout. 



In Pittsylvania, Halifax, and other counties near the North Carolina line tobacco is ready for cutting from the 

 20th of August to the 10th of October, from five to eight weeks after topping, according to season and other 

 circumstances. The forward plantings are cut when fully ripe; the later, when the leaves are nicely yellowed. The 

 finest wrappers from this section are from plants cut barely ripe, but for the smoking tobacco the well-ripened plants 

 afford the best quality. 



In Henry county (Piedmont) cutting begins about the 10th of September and continues until the danger of frost 

 compels the finishing of the harvest. Tobacco cut fully ripe is not so bright, but makes a sweeter and better chew. 

 In other counties of Piedmont, the Blue Eidge and Valley districts, the custom is to cut as soon as ripe, as the 

 product is easier handled, and is esteemed of better quality, than when suffered to become too brittle by over 

 ripeness. 



As tobacco approaches the period of maturity, cool nights, without dew, retard growth and otherwise injuriously 

 affect the plant ; but when accompanied by heavy dews cool nights greatly aid in maturing the plant. Dews 

 benefit the shipping much more than the manufacturing types. 



If the sun is hot, and the tobacco heavy, cutting can be done safely after four o'clock p. m. At an earlier hour 

 there is danger of sunburn while the plant is wilting, or of " coddling " after it is piled. On a hot, dry day, from 

 eleven o'clock a. m. to four p. m., it is almost impossible to prevent sunburn. Tobacco should not be cut in the 

 morning till the dew is off; but in cloudy weather, when there has been no dew, cutting can be continued all day 

 with great advantage. Medium-sized plants can be cut during the greater part of a bright warm day if a little extra 

 care be exercised in the handling and conveying to the scaffold or barn. 



It is the common practice of Virginia tobacco-growers to split the stalk in cutting and harvesting the plants, the 

 instrument most used being the ordinary tobacco-knife, resembling a small butcher-knife, with a blade about 5 

 inches long and 1 inches broad, riveted into a wooden handle 4 inches long; but knives of various shapes are used, 

 the common shoe-knife being one. A patent knife, having a curved blade, and resembling a pruning- knife, with an 

 exaggerated hook, made so as to sever the plants by a pulling cut, was introduced some years ago, but, being rather 

 a dangerous tool, it has never been extensively used. 



All tobacco split in cutting is hung upon sticks, varying in length to suit the distance between the tier poles 

 of the barns in which it is to be housed, the usual length being 4 feet, a majority of tobacco-houses having tier 

 poles 4 feet apart. Three inches catch at each end of the stick is sufficient. 



The Shelton hanger is used by a few planters, who pull off the leaves without cutting the stalk and string them 

 on this hanger. This is constructed by passing a No. 15 wire through the middle of an ordinary tobacco-stick, twisting 

 the wire twice on the upper edge of the stick and extending the ends of the wire to each end of the stick, the leaves 

 being strung so as to hang alternately on either side of the stick, the latter thus supporting the wire and its load 

 of leaves. By the use of this hanger more tobacco can be housed in the barn, the sticks can be placed closer 

 together, and, if cured by artificial heat, less fuel is needed, and the process is completed in less time than when 

 tobacco is cured on the stalks. It is used to great advantage in harvesting the ground leaves, but planters generally 

 claim that the old process is the more expeditious for the main crop. 



The number of plants placed upon a stick of the usual length, 4J feet, varies with the size and type. For 

 shipping, from five to ten plants, according to their size, are enough, if the planter desires to give plenty of room 

 and not crowd the barn. 



In the sun-curing belt the plants are not so large as in the shipping belt, but as no artificial heat is employed 

 for this type it is always safest not to crowd too many on a stick. Eight medium-sized plants are enough; of large 

 'plants fewer; of small ones more may be placed upon each stick. 



In the yellow belt only about six plants of medium size are put on each stick, and more or less as they are smaller 

 or larger. 



In the sun-curing district the tobacco, placed first upon scaffolds for from five to seven days, or longer, if the 

 weather is favorable, is then placed in the barn. It is not fired if it can be avoided, but is allowed to cure by air 

 alone. The best arranged barns for such curing are constructed with adjustable ventilators, to be opened in fair 

 and closed in damp or rainy weather. 



In the yellow district the practice varies. Some place the tobacco in the barn as soon as it is cut and hung, the 

 two operations going on at the same time if the force is adequate. The sticks are placed well apart on the tiers, 



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