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way; those from the next row should be laid with the butts towards those of the first row, and so proceed until all is cut that can be attended to. Some think a

better way is to lay them down lengthwise with the row itself, lapping them partly over each other, as the plant does not have to be moved out of the row and there is not so much danger of injuring the leaves.

The practice of scaffolding in the field, once almost universal, has been largely discontinued throughout the cigar-leaf States. A majority of farmers now carry the plants directly to the barn without any previous wilting, save what is possible while lying on the ground awhile. On scaffolds, heavy rains will wash off more or less of the gum. Even those who follow the practice seldom leave the stalks on the scaffold longer than three days.

The simplest convenience for transporting to the barn is the best, as illustrated and described in Part II. If the plants are to be strung on poles in the barn, the old way, substitute for the wagon body a long, flat rack, upon which load the plants from each side, butts out, letting the tips overlap each other alternately in the center. Load regularly and evenly, care being taken. not to break or damage the leaves in handling. Four or five hundred plants may be carried at a load. If the day is very hot, drive to the shed rapidly, or the load may heat, especially if the distance is long. All large sheds should be provided with wagon doors so that a team can drive directly in. If the weather is hot, the plants should be laid on the ground floor, only one plant deep. If the day is cool and they are to be hung up soon, they may lie much thicker. The doors are left open until the tobacco is thoroughly wilted and the leaves lie straight, when it is strung and hung.

The wagon rack, in Fig. 119, is very simple. An independent rack in forward holds up two upright posts, which are framed on top to two 4x6 timbers, 28

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FIG. 120. "SPEARING" TOBACCO ONTO LATH AND CARTING TO THE BARN, CONNECTICUT VALLEY.

to 32 feet long. Crosspieces, 3 feet apart, and strongly braced, extend well over the sides. Upon these the lath full of plants is placed, the rack being just high enough to allow this to be done without stretching, and still have the plants clear the ground. Low, wide wheels are better than common wagon wheels, hence the popularity of the wagon shown in Fig. 91.

Hanging Cigar Leaf.-There are two ways of hanging, with twine and with lath, and each has its advocates. The latter way is the cheaper and requires the least help, but many still think hanging by twine is, on the whole, the fastest and best way. But if the barn is very high, it is cheaper to hang the upper tiers with lath, because it would need so much help to hang with twine. The difference in different years, and with different crops, accounts largely for the difference in opinion in regard to the methods of hanging. Don't hang it too thick, 30 to 34 Havana plants on a 12-foot pole is about right for twine. Be careful not to have the poles too close together. Ten poles in 15 feet is close enough, and there will be less danger of pole sweat than if thicker. Don't hang tobacco while wet, because it will pole sweat more readily, and besides, more dirt sticks to it. A wet leaf won't cure off quite so nice, smooth and pliable as when hung dry.

The new way, which is in use in the Connecticut valley, is to hang on laths, about twice the thickness of ordinary laths such as are used for plastering. The laths are four feet long, to carry four to six plants, as to their size. Some put a spear head on end of lath, run it through butt of plant, about six inches from the end, and then slide plant onto lath. For this purpose, the lath is held in a hurdle, as shown in Fig. 120. A better plan-because quicker, and requiring less handling and less injury, or danger, to plants-is to attach hooks to the lath, on which to hang the plants. For this pur

pose use lath five-eighths inch thick, one and five-eighths inch wide and four feet long. On one side put in a hook six inches from the end, and two more fourteen inches apart; do the same on the other side, alternating, and the lath contains six hooks about seven inches apart, to hang as many plants. Make some with only our hooks for the biggest plants. The hooks may be. like a, Fig. 106, or simply drive wire nails at an angle through the lath. The hooked lath is held in a standard (shown at left in Fig. 119), while the plants are being hung on it. If the plants are well wilted when thus hung, they are at once carted to the barn on a rack, or rigging, like that in Figs. 118 or 120. But on a cool or cloudy day, the lath, when filled with plants, is hung on a rack in the field, until wilted, as shown at the right in Fig. 119. By the latter plan, harvesting can proceed in bad weather. These strung laths can be quickly hung in the barn, on poles about four feet apart. Fill upper tiers first, lifting to them by using a pitchfork at middle of lath. Leave space enough between laths in barn for air to circulate freely; the larger the plants, the more space.

Curing. See Chapter X for full particulars.

Stripping.-When the leaves and stems are completely cured, so that no green is visible in the leaf and the leaf stems are dried out, the tobacco is ready to strip. The sooner this work is done, the better. If the colors are uneven, they will become as near uniform in the pile after it is stripped as by hanging, if taken down in proper condition and kept so. When tobacco is cured, it can be brought into condition for stripping in any damp weather. Watch a favorable time, when it rains, or is very damp, to open the building and let in the damp air, until the tobacco is sufficiently moistened to be handled without danger of breaking the leaves. A leaf of good body and strong fiber can be taken down

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FIG. 121.

PENNSYLVANIA HAVANA LEAF, HANGING IN BARN. Crop of O. P. Lowell, Tioga County, illustrated on Page 416.

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