Wu Ting
How would you interpret ‘clearing tobacco ground’ here? All last night in south Asheville a crowd stood along the tracks in the cold, hoping to see the catafalque and coffin inside the lighted car when the cortege passed through. The president could only get to Washington from Warm Springs, they thought, by passing through our valley. But no train came. The news extra this morning said the route was through Greeneville. But some still wait, mostly women with children. In a valley east of Oteen they say a hundred Negro women clearing tobacco ground have been kneeling since yesterday with hands outstretched toward the railroad track. They won’t go home. How would you interpret ‘clearing tobacco ground’ in the second to last sentence? What kind of job is it? Thanks!
Dec 6, 2014 12:57 AM
Answers · 2
1
In the context of ground, "to clear" means to remove trees, shrubs, bushes, rocks, etc., in order to make the ground suitable for planting -- in this case, tobacco.
December 6, 2014
The women are clearing the sideways of railway track. because the procession was about to pass by there tobacco fields.
December 6, 2014
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