What is a tobacco basket?

What, you might ask, are these? They are usually 36-inch square, oak, slatted baskets used for transporting tobacco from the drying sheds to the tobacco market. They were in common use until about 1980; some folks have told me this type of basket is still used in Maryland tobacco markets.Click to see full answer. Correspondingly, why is it called a tobacco basket?The tobacco companies purchased the baskets, and their names were stenciled on the rims. There was an art to packing a tobacco basket so that it presented the tobacco well, and so that it stayed on the basket. After tobacco was picked and graded, several leaves were bound together in what were called hands.Likewise, how do you make a tobacco basket? HOW TO MAKE A DIY TOBACCO BASKET Create a strong “stain” of instant coffee in a large pot. Cut the reed into strips using these measurements.. Lay the strips out on a flat surface weaving them together to form the basket shape. Cut a long strip of reed to form the outside of the basket. Hereof, how did they use tobacco baskets? Baskets were used to take tobacco to market even then, but apparently once it reached the warehouse the tobacco was placed on the floor. R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company is credited with coming up with the idea of using large flat baskets to keep their tobacco clean in the auction houses.How do you clean a tobacco basket?Step 1: Lay a tarp down on your work area surface and gather your supplies. Step 2: Gently clean your old tobacco basket with a brush or the brush attachment from your vacuum cleaner. I used a brush first, then followed up by using our Dust Buster just to make sure the tobacco basket was free from dirt and debris.