xt7rxw47qh83 https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7rxw47qh83/data/mets.xml Minor, Peter, 1783-1827. 1822  books b98-51-42632354 English J. Robinson, : Baltimore : Contact the Special Collections Research Center for information regarding rights and use of this collection. Tobacco. Notes on the cultivation and management of tobacco  : from the plant bed to the prize ; according to the most approved practices in Albemarle, and the adjacent counties of Virginia / prepared by Peter Minor, esq. At the particular instance of the editor of "American farmer," with whose permission they are now published in this form by W.f. Redding. text Notes on the cultivation and management of tobacco  : from the plant bed to the prize ; according to the most approved practices in Albemarle, and the adjacent counties of Virginia / prepared by Peter Minor, esq. At the particular instance of the editor of "American farmer," with whose permission they are now published in this form by W.f. Redding. 1822 2002 true xt7rxw47qh83 section xt7rxw47qh83 

                  NOTES


                       ON


   TIHE CULTIVATION AND MANAGEMENT OF



            TOBACCO,


  FROM THE PLANT BED TO THE PRIZE;


ACCORDING TO THE MOST APPROVED PRACTICES IN ALBEMARLE, AND
          THE ADJACENT COUNTIES [N VIRGINIA.


  PREPAIRED BY PETER MINOR, ESQ.


              AT TUE PAAR'1tILAR INSTANCE OF


       THE EDITOR OF THE " AMIERICA.N FARMER,"


  WrTrif WHS(L PEIIMISSION THEY ARE NOW FUBLISHED 1W THIS FOR14 IIt


               W. F REDDING.





           PRICE 12-L CENYTS.





                 BALTINIORE:
     PRLNTED BlY J. ROBINSON, CIRCULATING LlBRARX,
            Corner of Market and Belvidere.strects.
                     1M822.

 This page in the original text is blank.

 

                           NOTES

On the Cultivation and Management of Tobacco.


From the plant bed to the prize-according to the most approved
  practices in Albemarle and the adjacent counties in Virginia.

1St. OF THE CHOICE OF LAND FOR THE PLANT-BEDS AND) MODE
                       OF PREPARING IT.
  A RICH virgin loam with a slight mixture of sand is ascertained
to be the best soil for raising tobacco plants. Such spots are in-
dicated by the growth of alder and hazle bushes in bottoms and on
the margin of smail streams, and if the situation has the com.
mand of water for irrigation it is on that account to be preferred-_
the spot being selected, the first operation is to burn it with a
strong fire. For this purpose the growth of every kind is cut off,
(not grubbed up) and the whole surface raked very clean. The
burning should be done before Christmas, or as soon after as the
weather will permit-and if done thus early it cannot be well too
heavy, even bringing the soil to a hard cake.-The wonderfulfer-
tility imparted to soil bv fire, has of late years been clearly prov-
ed and developed by various experiments in this and other coun.
tries, but judging from long established practice, we suppose it is
a fact that has been long known to tobacco planters-that this
fertility is imparted by the fire, and no ways dependent upon
the ashes left by the process is clearly proved from the fact, that
the same results will ensue if the ashes are swept off entirely
clean. Or take another piece of ground of equal quality, cover
it with as much or more ashes, and prepare it in every respect si-
milar except burning, and plants cannot be raised in it. Hence
the necessity and propriety of regular and uniform burn-
ing, the want of which is always manifested by a diminutive yel-
low and sickly growth of plants in those spots not sufficiently acted
on by the fire.
  After the ground becomes cool from burning, the whole surface
should be swept with a coarse twig broom to take out the coals-
In this operation some of the ashes will be removed, but that is of
no consequence-it should then be broken up about two inches
deep with grubbing hoes, in which operation, and in repeated
choppings afterwards with hilling hoes, all roots will be cut and
finally got out with a fine iron tooth rake which will leave the
ground in proper order to receive the seed.
  The most approved time for sowing is about the first of Febru-
ary, the beds previously prepared being suffered to lhe and mellow
by the frost and snows of that time. But it will do very well to

 
4



burn and sow after that time, as late as the first of March, taking
care not to have the neat so great..-The quantity of seed is as
much as can be taken up in a common table spoon for 100
square yards, and that in proportion.  This quantity of seed
should be mixed with about one gallon of clean ashes, and half
that quantity of plaster of paris, and the whole well incorporated,
and then strewed uniformly over the bed at two operations, cross-
ing at right angles to ensure regularity. Cabbage seed for early
planting, Tomatoe, Celery, and Lettuce seed may be sowed in
small quanties with the Tobacco seed, without material injury to
the growth of the plants. After sowing the seed the ground is
immediately trodden over closely with the feet, and covered thick
with naked brush. If the frost is severe from this time it is com-
mon to take off the brush some time in the month of March, be-
fore the plants appear, and tread the bed again, and at the same
time give the ground a slight dressing of manure. The dung of
fowls of all sorts, is sought after for this purpose, which being
beaten, is sifted over the bed through a coarse basket or riddle.
The brush is then restored, and not finallv removed until the
leaves of the plants are all an inch in diameter; when the dres-
sing of manure is again applied, taking care to wait the approach
of rain for that purpose. Any grass or weeds that may have
sprung up in the mean time are carefully picked out-In dry sea-
sons, if the situation admits of it, the bed must be irrigated by
training a small stream of water around the edge of it. If not
it should be watered every evening with a commn on watering pot,
or pine bushes dipped in water and shook over the bed until suf-
ficient moisture is obtaiaed.
  Under a careful observance of this management, the plants ac-
cording as the seasons have been favourable or not, will be fit to
transplant from the fifteenth of iMay to the tenth of June. A
planter thinks himself lucky if he can get his crop pitched by the
tenth of June. After that, the seasons are uncertain from the heat
of the weather, and the chances of success for a crop are various;
though it has been known to succeed when planted the middle of
July.

  Of the preparation of the Land, and cultivation of the Crop.

  The best Tobacco is trade upon new or fresh land. It is rare to
make more than three successive crops upon the same ground,
of which the second is the best, the 1st and 3d being about equal.
But it is more common to make only two. The new land, after
all the timber and brush is removed, and the surface very cleanly
raked, is twice closely coultered, as deep as two horses or oxen

   This quzntity of plant bed is generally considered under good circumstan-
ces as sufficient to set ten thousand hills in good time. But the prudent
planter. taking into consideration the casualties of fly, drought, &c. will do
welt tb make a larger allowance. We know of no certain remedy or antidote
against the fly which destroy the early plants.

 
5



tan pull. After this, hands with grubbing hoes pass regularly
over the whole ground, and take up all the loose roots that have
been broken by the coulter which are heaped and burnt, or remov-
ed. One and sometimes two more coulterings are then given, and
the same operation repeated with the grubbing hoes, which leaves
the land in proper order to be hilled-this is universally done in
straight rows at the distance of 34 feet apart, giving the same
distance as near as the eye will permit the other way-in fresh
land, that is to say, for the second and third crop, the line of the
original row, and even the locality of each hill should be preserv-
ed. After passing the coulter two or three times between each
row, the hills should be made in the same place, the remains of
the stalk and roots of the old plant being first removed. It is sup-
posedi, from the excess of nitrous particles contained in tobacco,
above any other plants that the partial decomposition of this stub-
ble during the winter, imparts a degree of fertility to the spot
which should riot bet lust yv tle diffusion and exposure of a gene-
ral ploughing.  It is most advisable too, that -the hilling of new
and fresh laed, shuu!l be dune as early in the spring as possible,
say three or four wt:e.s before planting. This affords time for
the hill to settle to a proper consistence, and presents a more ex-
tended surf ace to be acted on by atmospheric influence, which per-
haps is greater in the spri.J  months than at any other season of
the year.
   On the bottomland of otr rivers there are extensive al-
luvial flats, that bear successive crops of tobacco for many years,
and some planters resort to highly manured spots conveniently si-
tuated upon high land. But in general it is considered bad econo-
my to manure land for tobacco, both because the quantity required
for that crop is greater than for any other, and because the quality
of the product, as well as that made on low grounds, is coarser
in fibre and less marketable.-The preparation of such land howe-
ver is the same as that of new ground, except that the large
plough and harrow are substituted for the coulter and grubbing
hoe, and the hilling may be a little longer delayed.
  If the seasons have been favourable, and the plant beds duly
attended to as before observed, the plants will be ready to set out
from the 15th to the last of May. It is most common to wait
for a rain or season as we call it, to perform this operation, in
which case the hills must be previously cut off about four inches
above their base; but in early planting it is quite safe to proceed
without a season, provided it is done in the evening, and the hills
cut off at the same time. It is universally admitted that a mode-
rate season is better than a very wet one; and that is considered
the best, in which the earth does not entirely loose its friability,
but at the same time will bear to be compressed closely about the
roots of the plant without danger of becoming hard or baked.
Under the most favourable- circumstances, however, some plants
will fail or perish, and therefore the ground must be gone over
after every rain until the last of June, to replant the missing hills.

 

6



  It is not important here to describe the mere cultivation of the
  crop as it respects tillage, it being only necessary as in the case
  of all other plants to keep the earth light and free from weeds
  and grass. This is generally done by two weedings, first by scra-
  ping a little earth and all the young grass from the plants and then
  in a short time restoring the same earth, and as much more as
  will make a considerable hill around each. In old land, and that
  free from stumps, the single horse shovel plough is used with
  great advantage as an auxiliary to the hoe.
  When the plants attain a proper size, which observation and ex-
  perience will readily point out, they are to be primed and topped.
  The priming is merely stripping off 4 or 5 leaves at the bottom,
  leaving about a hand's breadth between the first leaf and the top of
  the hill. Topping is simply taking out the bud with the finger and
  thumb nails, leaving the necessary number of leaves, which in ge-
  neral is not more than eight, though the first topping may be to 9
  or ten leaves to make it ripen more uniformly, and bring the crop
  into the house more together. For the same reason, the late plants
  are not topped to so many, falling from eight by degrees as the
  season expires, down to six and five. A little practice, and slight
  attention to the manner in which the leaves grow from the stalk,
  will soon enable a person to perform this operation with great
dexterity and despatch, without counting the leaves. All that is
requisite after this until the plant is fit to cut, is to keep it from be-
ing eaten by the worms, and to pull off the suckers that grow out
at the junction of the leaves to the stalk. These suckers put forth
only twice at the leaves, but after that indefinitely and continually
from the root, and it is thought injudicious ever to let them get
more than a week old, for besides absorbing the nutriment necessa-
ry to push forward, and increase the size and thickness of the leaf,
the breaking them off when of a large size makes so great a wound
as greatly to injure the after growth of the plant. In general about
three months is requisite to perfect the growth of tobacco from
planting to cutting.
  Of the diseases, and casualties to which it is subject; and its
tendency to exhaust land.-Tobacco is subject to some diseases,
and liable to be injured by more casualties and accidents than any
other crop. That growing upon new or fresh high land is seldom
injured by any other disease than the Spot or Firing, which is
the effect of very moist succeeded by very hot weather. For this
we know of no remedy or antidote. Tobacco growing upon old
land, particularly upon low flats, besides being more subject to
Spot, is liable to a disease we call the Hollow Stalk, which is an
entire decay and rottenness of the inside or pith, terminating gra-
dually in the decay, and final dropping off of the leaves. This
disease is sometimes produced by the wounds caused by pulling off
over-grown suckers, thereby admitting too great an absorption of
water into the stalk through the wound.-In land not completely
drained, the plants are sometimes apt to take a diminutive growth,
sending forth numerous long, narrow leaves, very thickly set on

 
7



the stalk. This is called Walloon tobacco, and is good for noth-
ing. As there is no cure for these diseases when they exist, we
can only attend to their prevention. This will at once be pointed
out by a knowledge of the cause, which is too much wet, and in-
dicates the necessity of complete and thorough draining before the
crop is planted. It may not be a miss here to mention, that to-
bacco is more injured than any other crop by ploughing or
hoeing the ground when it is too wet, and to express a general
caution on that head.
  The accidents by which tobacco is often injured and destroyed,
are high winds, heavy beating rains, hail storms, and two kinds of
worm, the ground or cut worm, and the large green horn worm.
High winds, besides breaking off the leaves and thereby occasioning
a great loss, are apt to turn them over. The plant unlike most
others, possesses no power to restore the leaves to their proper po-
sition, which must shortly and carefully be done by hand, otherwise
the part inverted will gradually perish and moulder away. Those
who have studied the anatomy of plants can tell us the cause of this,
as wvell as, why nature has denied to tobacco the faculty of restoring
its leaves to their proper position.-The ground worm, the same
which is sometimes so fatal to corn, is ascertained to be the Larvae
of the common black bug found in great numbers under wheat
shocks, &c. This worm is seldom or never found in new land, but
abounds in old or manured ground-and in some years I have
seen them so numerous, as to have from 40 to 50 taken out of one
hill in a morning. The alternatives are either to abandon the crop,
or to go over the ground every morning, when they can be found at
or near the surface, and destroy them. The missing hills to be re-
gularly replanted. The Horn Worm is produced from a large,
clumsey, grey coloured fly commonly seen late in the evening
sucking the flowers of the Stramonium or thorn apple, commonly
called here the _Ytmes-town weed. The flies deposit their eggs in
the night on the tobacco, and all other narcotic plants indiscrimi-
nately, as Irish potatoes, Tomatoes, &c. In 24 or 36 hours the eggs
hatch a small worm which immediately begins to feed on the leaf
and grows rapidly. Great care should be taken to destroy them
while young. Turkies and Guinea fowls are great auxiliaries in
this business, but the evil might be greatly lessened if the flies were
destroyed, which can easily be done in the night by a person walk-
ing over the ground with a torch and a light paddle.-They will
approach the fight and can easily be killed. In this way I have
known a hundred killed in one field in the course of an hour.
  Tobacco has been reproached as the canse of the general exhaust-
ed condition of our lands, of the slow paced improvement in the
Virginia system of agriculture; in short as the bane of all good hus-
bandry. This stigma, is, I am persuaded, in a great measure un-
merited. It is true, that like Indian corn, from the frequent and
high degree of tillage it requires throughout the summer, it exposes
the ground to be washed by hard rains, and evaporated by the hot
sun; but the plant in itself is less an exhauster than corn or wheat.

 
8



A proof of this is to be found in the superior growth and perfec-
tion to which any crop will arrive when grown after tobacco, than
after any thing else, not exccp ing clover that has been ploughed
in. Perhaps this may be accounted for from the facts. 1st That
the roots and stubble of tobacco left on the ground are more in
quantity, and contain more of the essential qualities of manure
than those of any other plant. ed. The plant itself while growing
feeds more from the atmosphere than any other, and Sdly. It is not
suffered to go to seed, the process in all vegetation which is sup-
posed to make the greatest draft on the fertility of the earth.-Nei-
ther is the culture of tobacco incompatible with a proper rotation
of crops, and an improved system of husbandry, for we find as
extensive and as successful eftwrts at improvement made in the to-
bacco region, and by tobacco makers, as in any other section of our
state.

              Of tize Cutning, Curing and Housing.

  We have now arrived at the most difficult and critical stages of
the whole process, every operation irom this time until the plant is
cured, requiring great attention and care, as well as skill and nicety
of judgment in the execution. And hence a great contrariety of
practice in sorne (if the tninutim prevails, according to the superior
skili and ability of different planters.
  It is difficult to convey an idea of ripe tobacco by description. It
can only be learnt by observation and experience. In general its
maturity is indicated by the top leaves of the plant turning down and
often touching the ground, becoming curdled with yellow spots in-
terspersed on their surface, looking glossy and shining, with an en-
tire loss of fur, a manifest increase of thickness in the substance of
the leaves, which when pinched in a fold between the finger and
thumb will crack or split with ease. But the most experienced
planters acknowledge that they are more apt to err in cutting their
tobacco too soon, than in deferring it too long. As a proof of this,
take two plants growing side by side of equal size and appearance
in every respect, anti both apparently ripe-cut one and weigh it
both green and when cured: let the other stand a week longer and
when weighed like the first the difference in favour of the latter
will be astonishing. If it be asked, why we do not avail ourselves
of the advantage to be derived from thus deferring the operation 
It may be answered, as I have before observed, that tobacco while
standing is liable to be injured and destroyed by more accidents
than any other plant, such as hail storms, heavy rains, high winds,
the depredations of worms, the growth of suckers from the root
which abstract greatly from the weight and thickness of the leaves,
if suffered to grow, and which it is not always convenient to pull
off. Besides this, the season of cutting tobacco is a very busy one
to the planter, and too much work would accumulate on his hands
by deferring it to the last moment. For these reasons it is con-
sidered most prudent to cull out the plants as soon as they will make

 
9



good tobacco; in which case the loss in the aggregate amount of
crop, is balanced by avoiding the risk of accidents, and being able
to bestow more care and attention to what remains.
  The cutters go over the ground by rows, each taking two at a
time, and the plants they cut are laid in the intermediate row be-
tween them.  This facilitates the picking up, as the cutting of four
rows is thereby placed in one. The stalk of the plant to be cut is
first split down with the knife about six inches, and after being cut
off just below the bottom leaf', is inverted and laid upon the ground,
to fall and become pliant for handling. The splitting of the stalk
is important, both for the convenience of hanging it on sticks and
accelerating the cure of the plant. 'T'o those unused to the culture
and management of tobacco, it will be almost incredible to learn
how soon it will sun-burn, as we call it, after being cut and turned
over on the ground. This is effected by the hot rays of the sun,
piercing and penetrating the tender parts of the leaves, and is mani-
fusted by the parts affected, turning white and soon becoming dry
and crisp, and when cured, of a dark green colour, without pos-
sessing any of the strength or qualities of tobacco. In very dry,
hot weather, sun-burning often takes place before a large plant falls
sufficiently to be handled without breaking off the leaves; and for
this reason the cutting in such weather should always be made early
in the morning, and not proceed after ten o'clock. Sometimes it is
done in the evening when there is no prospect of rain, by which the
packing up may be accomplished earlier the next morning, and with
less risk of burning. As soon as the plants fall sufficiently to handle
without breaking off the leaves, they are hand-fulled, as we call it;
that is, they are picked up, and three or four or five plants are laid
together, with their tails from the sun, and the stalks inclined and
somewhat elevated against the sides of some of the hills. The
pickers up, after going through this ground, return and turn over
each handfull, that both sides of the plants may receive the benefit
of the sun, and not be burnt; and this operation is again repeated;
If by this time the tobacco is not pliant enough to be put in shocks.
This is putting an indefinite number of handfulls together, the
stalks in an erect position, forming a sort of circle of any diameter,
froin two to six feet or more, at convenient distances in the field;
and these shocks should be immediately and effectuallly covered
with green bushes or something else, previously in place, for the
purpose to exclude the rays of the sun.
  The next operation (after the heat of the sun has declined) is to
remove the tobacco to the house or scaffold, and hanging the plants
on sticks 4-1L feet long, and about one inch square. The
common pine affords the best timber for this purpose, which will
rive straight and with ease. From 10 to 12 plants, according to
size, may be hung on each stick, the width of two fingers to be
left between each plant. The scaffolds are raised four or five feet
from the ground, and the poles to receive the sticks are placed four
feet apart, and are made to range east and west, so that the sticks
will be north and south, to give both sides an equal benefit from

 

10



the sun. The tobacco is commonly removed from the field to the
house or scaffold upon the shoulders of the labourers, carefully put
on and taken off to avoid bruising; but if the distance is great,
carts are used, greater care being necessary to avoid bruising. This
is considered so important that some judicious planters make tem-
porary scaffolds in the field, preferringthe risk of injury from a
smart rain, to that of bruising by moving far in a green state.
   There are two modes of curing tobacco. One in the house alto-
 tether by fire; the other by the sun on scaffolds. The first is es-
 teemed the best and most effectual, but it is attended with great
 risk. Our houses are generally four sided pens, 20 feet square,
 built of round poles, and about 12 feet pitch. The joists are placed
 four feet apart, the rafters immediately over them, having beams
 corresponding with the joists, three feet perpendicular from each
 other, so as to afford ranges or tiers for the tobacco up to the
 crown; and the same tiers are fixed below the joists and at the
 same distance by extending poles across the house between the logs
 of the pen. The house is covered tightly with pine boards, and if
 it is intended to cure by fire, the openings between. the logs should
 be closed to prevent the escape of heat. Such a sized house will
 cure from 2 to 3000 weight, according to the quality of the tobacco.
 If it be decided to cure by fire, the tobacco is carried immediately
 from the field to the house, hung on sticks as before described, and
 these sticks crowded as close together on the tiers as they can pos-
 sibly be, so as to exclude all air from the tobacco. It remains in
 this situation until the leaves of the plants become yellow or of the
 colour of hickory leaves just before they fall. This will generally
 happen in four or five days, when the sticks must be spread and
 placed at their proper distances apart in the house. About six or
 seven inches is the proper distance, or any other that will prevent
 the plants on different sticks touching each other. A moderate
 heat which is gradually increased to a very strong one, is then ap-
 plied, by making different ranges of fires throughout the house-
 and that wood is preferred and sought for, which will make the
 greatest heat with the least blaze and smoke. The fires must be
 continually kept up until the curing is effected, (say from four to
 six days) when not only the leaves, but the whole stalk becomes
 dry; and changes from a green or yellow, to a light brown colour.
 If it is not to be cured by fire, the tobacco is brought to the scaf-
 fold and hung, and the sticks are crowded in the same way on the
 scaffold, until the same yellow colour is imparted to the leaves, and
 some planters are so particular as to cover their scaffolds with green
 bushes during this crowded state, to prevent sun-burning-when
 the proper time arrives, which is indicated by the yellow colour of
 the leaves, the sticks are thinned and placed at such a distance as to
admit the influence of the sun and air, and if the weather is warm
and fair, in five or six days, the curing will be so far effected as to
justify the removal of the tobacco into the house, when it must be
properly and finally arranged, and the cure will be gradually accom-
plished by time and season. But if damp, hot weather supervenes,
it will be necessary, both in this and in the case of tobacco already

 

I1



cured by fire, to make moderate fires under each whenever it comes
in very high order.-In such weather and in such order, tobacco is
liable to contract a mould about the stems, which can only be pre-
vented by keeping it dry by fires. This mould injures both the
quality and appearance greatly, and cannot be easily rubbed off.-
Great attention is therefore necessary to prevent it by these occa-
sional firings until regular cool weather sets in, after which there is
no danger. From the vicissitudes of our climate for some years
past, and other causes, it happens commonly that some portion of
our tobacco is not mature, and is left until we are compelled to cut
it by the approach of frost. Such plants, even if fully ripe, seldom
cure or a good colour or quality for want of proper seasons. And
here we may venture a general remark ; which is, that tobacco cut
early and fully ripe, will cure well and be of good quality under
the most unfavourable circumstances, while that which comes late
into the house, is difficult to cure and of inferior grade.-After
the housing of tobacco is all accomplished, and cool weather
begins, the house should be closed with green bushes or fence rails
set up on end close around on the outside of the house, to exclude
damp air, and beating rains which generate mould, &c.

                    Of .tripping and Prizing.

   Stripping is begun as soon after the plants are thoroughly cured
and seasoned, as the convenience of the planter will permit. It is
taken off the sticks in proper season or order, and packed in a large
bulk for this purpose, and generally in higher order than is proper
for prizing, which enables the strippers to handle it with less waste,
and to tie it more neatly. There are two facts generally believed
to exist, in relation to the order of tobacco, which are unaccounta-
ble. One is, that tobacco in order, or in a moist state, is no
heavier than when dry. The other, that if it is taken down and
bulked, as it is going out of season, that is, as it is passing from a
moist to a dryer state, it will return in the bulk to the highest
state of order it had previously acquired-These opinions, how-
ever, seem to have been established more by prescription than recent
experiment, for I can find no person that will absolutely assert the
facts upon his own experience. But be it as it may, the latter fact
is so generally believed as to be attended to in bulking tobacco.
   In stripping, the best planters make two qualities besides
stemmed. For this purpose, every plant passes through the hands
of the sorters (the most experienced and judicious of the labourers)
who pull off the two first, or ground leaves, without looking.-
Upon examination, the remainder of the plant may be found fit for
the first class-perhaps, too, more leaves are to be taken off, or per-
haps the whole is only fit for the second class. In this way the first
class is obtained, the leaves previously pulled off are again sorted
for the second class, and what is unfit for this is stemmed.
  No definite idea of the quality of the different classes can be
well conveyed by description. It can only, and soon will be ac-

 
                                  12

 quired by observation and experience. The bundles of each con-
 sisi of four or five leaves neatly wrapped around the head with ano.
 ther leaf. The stemmed tobacco (about two thirds of the stem
 only being taken out) is tied in large bundles, and when packed in
 the hogshead for pressing is untied and laid loosely, but in strait
 and uniform lavers.
    After stripping, some planters hang up their tobacco again upon
 sticks drawn smooth and somewhat to a feather-edge, and as it
 comes in proper order for prizing it, is taken down and bulked, and
 closely and effectually covered till the time of prizing arrives-the
 months of April and May, are thought the best time for this.
 Others pack their tobacco in double winrows, that is, lightly lap the
 tails of the bundles, placing the heads on the outside, and thus raise
 a bulk of three or four feet in height. It remains in this situation
 well weighted, but oftentimes without cover all the winter, and per-
 haps gets completely dry; but returns in proper order for prizing
 in the warm weather of April and May. It is a matter of much
 doubt and dispute, which of these two modes is the best. Perhaps
 the latter is to be preferred, because it is the least trouble, provided
 the planter has plenty of house room, and can so order it as to
 leave the winrows entirelv tree from interruption. Other planters
 more careless, carry on the operation of stripping and prizing to-
 gether, without due regard to the order of the tobacco, which may
 account for the excess of inferior qualities, and diversity of prices
 exhibited in our markets.
   Prizing is the last operation, but not the least important in the
care and attention it requires.-The size of our hogsheads are pre-
scr'bed by law. They must not exceed four and a half feet in
height, nor 36 inches in the diameter of the heads. In these we
generally attempt to press 1500 lbs. but we oftener fall below than
go over it.-The average is perhaps not more than 13.50 lbs.-Our
prizes are otthe cheapest and simplest construction, generally fixed
by the labourers who use them, and not exceeding two or three
dollars in entire cost. The stump of a tree is generally used, in-
stead of a post in the ground, until it rots, and the hogshead is pro-
tected by a temporary shed, or a light portable roof straddled
across the beam.-I sutjf)oin a sketch of the one most commonlv
used. This you will observe op rates by an unceasing suspended
weight, capable of being increased by the addition of stones to anv
required extent, and which is sufftred to settle gradua