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HISTORY The terminology "tobacco barn" has been used to describe myriad structures in the United States. Buildings used for strictly tobacco curing, buildings that have multiple agricultural uses, and dilapidated barns, among others, have all been called tobacco barns at one time or another. Design Though tobacco barn designs varied greatly there were elements that were found in many American tobacco barns. Design elements which were common to American tobacco barns include: 2007 . The interior framing would be set up in bents up ten feet, but more often about four feet apart horizontally, so that laths with tobacco attached to them could be hung for drying. The tier poles were often supported by posts and cross beams, the space in between known as the "bents." The bents ranged in vertical spacing from 20 inches to five feet wide. The bent itself became an important earmarker in determining crop volume. Farmers would commonly refer to barn size in terms of bents and the rule of thumb was one bent will hang half an acre of tobacco. CURRENT STATE U.S. states, such as Maryland, have sponsored programs which discourage the cultivation of tobacco. In 2001 Maryland's state-sponsored program offered cash payments as buyouts to tobacco farmers. A majority of the farmers took the buyout, and hundreds of historic tobacco barns were rendered instantly obsolete. Tobacco Barns of Southern Maryland , 11 Most Endangered Places, National Trust for Historic Preservation [http://www.nationaltrust.org/]. Retrieved 2007 . REFERENCES |
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