296 TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



down careful!}' upon the ground, so as not to break the leaves. If the sun 

 shines hot it must soon be turned over, or it will sunburn, which spoils it. 

 After laying long enough to wilt and thus become tough, it should be piled 

 up in small heaps far enough apart to drive between with the team. You 

 are now ready to hang iqj. The poles in the tobacco-house having been 

 prepared, should be about ten inches apart. A house whose posts are 

 about fifteen feet high, will hang four tiers one above the other. The dis- 

 tance which they are hung upon the poles will vary according to the size 

 of the plants. As a general rule, a pole ten feet in length, will take twen- 

 ty-five plants upon a side, or about fifty plants. The plants are hung with 

 twine wound alternately from one to the other. If hung too near togetlier, 

 it will pole-sweat and spoil, and become worthless. 



The shed must be well ventilated, in order to prevent sweating. It 

 should be so arranged that the air can have free circulation under the sills, 

 and thus blow up under the tobacco. This is sure to prevent sweating, 

 A tobacco house should be set about two feet from the ground, with hang- 

 ing lids or doors, which will render it close and tight when the weather is 

 too drying. After hanging till it is sufficiently cured, which is usually 

 about the first days of December, it should be taken down in a damp day 

 (not too damp), and put in piles and immediately stripped, and done up in 

 hands weighing about one-half of a pound each; the wrappers being done 

 up by themselves, and also the fillers. This part of the work must be nice- 

 ly'- and skillfully done, as it very muclj, affects the price of the article. 

 .After stripping, it should be carefully and tightly packed, wrappers and 

 fillers in separate piles, and covered with some old carpets or blankets to 

 keep it from drying up. It must be watclied closely, as it will soon heat 

 and spoil. To ascertain whether it is heating, raise the hands in the cen- 

 ter of the pile and introduce your hand. If it is warm you must repack it, 

 closely laying it, and it will prevent all harm from this source. 



I have thus given my mode of raising tobacco, in accordance with my 

 experience and observation; and all things being equal, there is a sure 

 prospect of success. 



Dr. Trimble. — I am tired of this continued discussion about the culture 

 of one of the most noxious plants that ever grew. I have been engaged 

 for years in observing the habits of worms and insects, trying to distin- 

 guish which are injurious and which beneficial to man. I have observed 

 those which infest the tobacco plant. To uneducated minds, which are 

 disturbed by the appearance of such things, these are the most disgusting 

 of the whole family. Nature has adapted them to the consumption of such 

 a disgusting food. Instead of destroying them, if I could, I would ten- 

 fold increase their numbers. I wish they were so abundant as finally to 

 perish for want of food suited to their habits, after ridding the earth of 

 this greatest of all growing nuisances. 



Prof. Mapes. — I do not know that it is the business of this Club to set 

 itself up as the conservator of morals for the public. Our business is to 

 afford such information as will give to farmers the greatest benefits. 



Mr. S. Robinson. — " I thank thee, Jew, for that word." I join issue with 

 the gentleman upon benefit to farmers. If this Club had power to confer the 

 greatest of all benefits possible to be conceived for the farmer, what 



