Technology through
the Years

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Tobacco was originally treated,
dried, and cured by simple and rudimentary means: leaves were hung up to
dry and cured in a barn, and finally sent to a stackhouse where they aged
properly and awaited delivery. This process took no longer than six months.
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Soon enough, around the turn
of the century, the "Transplantor" was introduced so that workers no longer
had to set the crops with pegs, they were machine planted.
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In 1870, the "Piedmont No.11"
was introduced to the tobacco industry, allowing one man to operate a wheel
that pressed plugs of tobacco.
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In 1893, the "Rose-Wright
Packer" enabled workers to pack cut-plug tobacco into packages prior to
loading.
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In 1922, the "Quarter Tobacco
Cutter" was invented, allowing improvements for preparing tobacco to be
placed into the paper.
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Other technology improvements
in the early 19th century included the "Golden Belt knot tier", "Sassafras
tobacco flail", "Hoop screen tobacco sifter" and the "Bag husser."
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Over the years, tobacco technology
hasn't changed considerably, because it isn't a high tech business, but
inevitably there have been recent changes and improvements.
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