334 THE SOUTHERN PLANTER. 



to give just such another working, hilling up the 

 tobacco still higher. Should the laud be laid oft' 

 both ways, let this working be across the first. 

 As soon as the plants are high enough, one or two 

 hands should begin to prime and top them by taking 

 off a few of the lower leaves, and taking out the 

 buds. There is great difference of opinion as to 

 the proper height of topping. From eight to 

 twenty leaves are recommended — the latter for 

 manufacturing. If the tobacco is pretty forward 

 and the land rich, at first prime off just enough 

 leaves to hill up the tobacco well, and top to from 

 twelve to fourteen leaves ; continue to top to twelve 

 leaves until 1st of August, then top to' ten until, 

 say, middle of August, and from that time until 

 1st of September top to eight, then six. By thus 

 priming and topping, I believe more tobacco is 

 made, and of as good quality as if topped altogether 

 at eight leaves, inasmuch as the lower leaves soon 

 get their growth, and take no more support from 

 the soil, and serve to protect the balance from dirt 

 and the roots from the effects of the sun. The 

 above workings, will generally be enough with 

 the plough, though grass should never be per- 

 mitted to grow among the tobacco, and as it 

 will be necessary to scrape up once or twice more 

 with the hoes, if grassy or hard, it will facilitate 

 the hoe work very much by simply running a 

 trowel hoe once in the middle of the row. By 

 thorough working, keeping all loose dirt scraped 

 up in the hill and topping as above, I think we do 

 all to prevent the crop from one of its worst dis- 

 asters — spotting or firing. About the same time 

 that topping is begun, another enemy, viz : the 

 horn worm, makes its appearance, and it will be 

 necessary to kill them by going over the crop as ' 

 often as possible, and diligent watching. By being 

 very careful, not only can a number of worms (be- 

 fore they have done any mischief) be destroyed, 

 but the eggs also. In addition to killing them on 

 the plants, I think it well to have as many flies as 

 possible destroyed, which can be easily done by 

 watching about the Jamestown weeds about sunset, 

 and catching them. If this plan was generally pur- 

 sued, I have no doubt it would greatly diminish 

 the number of worms. Shortly after topping, suck- 

 ers come out, and it will be necessary (to use plan- 

 ter's language) to worm and sucker the crops all 

 together. The crop should be gone over at least 

 once every week. But two crops of suckers ap- 

 pear, but the crop is generally so irregular, the 

 process of suckering and worming continues until 

 the crop is cut. Next comes cutting and housing. 

 The houses should be large and tight. At least 

 twenty-four feet square. The better plan is to 

 have them tight, with windows to admit air when 

 requisite. I prefer them tight, as it requires less 

 wood to cure the tobacco, and it will not come in 

 order when cured after every rain. While almost 

 every planter will admit the importance of per- 

 mitting tobacco to become thoroughly ripe before 

 it is cut, but few have the patience to wait for it. 

 Overseers and hands are eager to get rid of it when 

 catting commences, and not unfrequently the em- 

 ployers join in the onslaught. Unless it spots (in 

 which case no time should be lost, but cut forth- 

 with) it should be allowed to get fully ripe. When 

 ripe,, it has a rich, glossy look, (and some varieties 

 ripen piebald,) the edges and ends of the leaves 

 curl under, and the leaf when doubled upon itself 

 and pressed between the fingers, crack very freely. 

 Having determined to cut, it is well to order the 

 cutters to leave every plant about which there is 



any doubt. The plant is split with a knife to within 

 a few inches of the ground, cut off below the last 

 leaf and placed bottom upwards between the hills. 

 As soon as it can be handled without breaking, it 

 is placed in small parcels, say enough to hang from 

 six to eight sticks and hung on the sticks, from 

 eight to twelve plants, according to size, on each, 

 and then laid upon the ground like shingles on a 

 house. A large quantity may be put together in 

 this way without injury until time to scaffold or 

 house as preferred. A better plan, however, is to 

 put the sticks in the hill on the north side, with the 

 ends or butts of the plant to the south. When all 

 that is cut is hung, it is then removed, and I have 

 never sustained any loss by it. If time will allow, 

 and, the weather is not threatening, I prefer housing 

 the tobacco without scaffolding. It will yellow as 

 well crowded in the barn as on the scaffold, and all 

 danger of injury from rain is avoided, as well as 

 loss of some from the effects of the sun. When 

 put in the house it may remain a few days longer 

 than if scaffolded, before firing, which, however, 

 is no disadvantage. It is carried from the field 

 crowded as closely as possible on the tiers, permit- 

 ted to remain from six to eight days or longer, until 

 it is yellowed sufficiently, then it should be opened, 

 and the sticks arranged in the barn for firing. 

 The sticks should be placed from six to eight inches 

 apart, and may be placed a little closer in the roof 

 than the body of the barn. The wood being ar- 

 ranged around the barn for the first two days, the 

 fires should be small; a little warmer the second 

 than the first day, and raised still higher the third 

 and fourth days. If the weather is not damp in 

 four or five days, (without firing at night, which is 

 very hazardous,) the fires may be stopped, as the 

 tobacco will be sufficiently cured for the process to 

 continue without fire.* The degree of heat, though 

 often spoken of as judged by the thermometer, is 

 generally tested by the hand being applied to the 

 lowest tier pole. When the fires are hottest the 

 hand can bear without being very disagreeable, 

 the heat of the tier pole, and by frequently apply- 

 ing the hand during the process of curing, it be- 

 comes a good test of the heat. Whenever the 

 weather is so damp as to bring the tobacco in high 

 order it must be dried by fire. When so thoroughly 

 cured as to be bulked down without any risk, it 

 should be taken down in supple order the first sea- 

 son for stripping. A platform little raised from the 

 ground should be made across the barn, (the sticks 

 generally used for that purpose laid across logs,) 

 the tobacco taken off' the sticks and well packed, 

 lapping the tails and then cove*red with tobacco 

 sticks — straw is better, to prevent its drying. When- 

 ever the weather is such as not to allow out-door 

 work, the tobacco is stripped. No operation is 

 more important than properly assorting tobacco. 

 The buyer always judges by the meanest sample 

 in a hogshead, so that good tobacco may sell at in- 

 ferior prices by being badly assorted. Every to- 

 bacco planter should have a good stove to use in 

 his barn when stripping. It is more comfortable, 

 no smoke, and there is no danger of fire from it — ■ 

 quite an important consideration. Hands enough 

 to keep the remainder employed, assort, while the 

 others tie up in bundles of from six to eight leaves. 

 The proper number of kinds depend upon the looks 

 of the crop after it is cured. If the crop is a 

 mixed one in color, as is generally the .case with 



* If the leaf is cured well and weather fair and cool, fh-e 

 fires may be stopped. 



