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CHAPTER VI. 

 CURING. 



Tobacco-house and Press. 



It is understood that the House must be finished by the time 

 cutting is to commence. The " Pilon " or Press is to be made when 

 the Tobacco is dry on the poles and nearly ready for bulking or fer- 

 menting in the Press. 



The Tobacco-House. 



The house should run from North to South (one end looking North 

 and the other South.) Of whatever length it is built, take half the 

 length, less one part for the breadth, and with these dimensions a well- 

 shaped house will be constructed. Two-thirds the breadth is taken for 

 the length of the rafters, and if the House be thatched, one foot more 

 should be added to the length, so as to have a greater inclination of the 

 roof to throw off the rain water rapidly. For example, a house of 20 

 yards in length (the posts supporting the roof being 4 yards high), the 

 breadth will be 9 yards and the length of the rafters 6 yards : half of 

 20 = 10, less 1 yard = 9 yards, and two-thirds of 9 yards = 6 yards. 

 A house of these dimensions is to be divided into sections, " aposen- 

 tos " allowing a space of 27 inches between each section so that a man 

 may easily get in to put up or bring down the poles. The same space 

 left between each section (27 inches) should be left at both ends of the 

 house to afford the same facility. A passage one yard in width should 

 be left, dividing the house lengthwise into halves, and each half will 

 have by this passage four sections on each side, thus making in all 

 eight sections, and each of these sections will have four square yards. 

 The apartments are framed by posts. 



The poles for a house of the foregoing dimensions must be at least 

 thirteen feet in length. 



The poles filled with the Tobacco are placed on what are called in 

 Cuba "Barrederas," which are stout, strong rails, of the length of the 

 sections, nailed horizontally on posts, which form the sections one above 

 the other and at a convenient distance, namely, one yard, so that the 

 tip of the leaves of the upper poles do not touch the butt ends of the 

 lower. The space above the tie-beam is divided in the same manner as 

 was done below it. To be able to do the division above as below, it is 

 necessary to put two tie-beams and two cross beams or cross pieces to form 

 each space, and by these the spaces separating each apartment below 

 will be continued above. We would advise the beginner to see a house 

 built by an Expert as the best means of becoming acquainted with its 

 construction. 



When the house is shingled or thatched, a kind of window or ven- 

 tilator should be left at the top of each gable so that the air may refresh 

 the Tobacco which is at the upper part of the house. In a toggy 

 locality the sides of the house should also be covered with thatch. 

 Several doors should be made so that after the fog has disappeared they 

 may be opened and air allowed to circulate freely through the house. 

 The sides of the house should be wattled. 



