U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.

TOBACCO..SOILS ‘OF -CONNECTICUT AND
PENNSYLVANIA.

MILTON WHITNEY,

Chief of the Division of Agricultural Soils.

[Reprinted from the Yearbook of the U. S. Department of Agriculture for 1894. ]

-

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WAS HENGE ON ;

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE.

1895.

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23; 2s

U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.

WOBANCe@ SOlus OF CONNECTICUT AND
PEE SDINGS Yoo VAI EAS

BY

MILTON WHITNEY,

Chief of the Division of Agricultural Sorts.

[Reprinted from the Yearbook of the U.S. Department of Agriculture for 1894. |

WASHING TON:
GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE.

VS.9 5%

| —ee ee

)4 026]

COON TENTS

Nadapvavionuof soilsito -varietiesof tobacco. <..--. <<... 222-222. -.--2-+-5-5--
Molbaccosousior theConnecticut Valley. 2.2525. -25. 2 22cessceue ce. sees estes

MODUCCOMOL SOLA CNNS YL Vana sc. .ca% a soma a tS essence tlie we sss otce sees cea

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8.

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Liebe Ss TRA Ir OUNS:.

Mechanical separation of the gravel, sand, silt, and clay in 20 grams
of subsoil from Poquenock, Conn., adapted to tobacco......--------
Mechanical separation of the gravel, sand, silt, and clay in 20 grams
of subsoil of the Podunk district, East Hartford, Conn., adapted to
THON OLE EY (OY — cere el a gets: Ae ei ee SES CRS Ot eee eo era iene ere
Curves showing the amount of moisture in the tobacco soils at
Poquonock, East Hartford, and Hatfield, in the Connecticut Valley.
Average amount of water maintained in 20 grams of tobacco soils at
Poquonock, East Hartford, and Hattield, in the Connecticut Valley.
Mechanical separation of the gravel, sand, silt, and clay in 20 grams
of subsoil from Marietta, Pa., adapted to tobacco.......-...-------
Curves showing the amount of moisture in tobacco soils at Poquonock
and Hast) Hartiord, Conn., and Marietta, Pa. oo... -2c.-6,-.2-006 =

10. Average amount of water in 20 grams of tobacco soils of Poquonock

UYU CL VAIS) © Usd mente ee reretet eee, ark Rae soe aya uaa, ta revoR a Hoes eta chelate cyano terore ard

148

149

7 Re

ar

(A portion of the article entitled ‘‘Soils in their Relation to Crop Production,” in the Yearbook of the
U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1894.)

TOBACCO SOILS OF CONNECTICUT AND PENNSYLVANIA,
By MILTON WHITNEY,
Chief of the Division of Agricultural Soils, U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Tobacco is grouped commercially into classes, types, and grades.
The class represents the use to which it is adapted, whether for cigar,
cigarette, smoking, chewing, or export trade. The type is dependent
upon certain qualities, such as the color, texture, and flavor of the leaf,
and upon the question whether it is sun-cured, air-cured, flue-cured, ete.
The grade refers to the degree of excellence of the leaves from the same
type or even from the same stalk. The different grades are designated
as low, medium, and good, and also with respect to the use, as fillers,
binders, wrappers, and the like.

Different types of tobacco are required for cigars, cigarettes, smok-
ing, and chewing, and different grades for the wrappers and fillers of
cigars and for plug tobacco. Furthermore, different sections of our
own country and several of the importing foreign countries require dif-
ferent classes, types, and grades of tobacco for their use.

The English, German, and Italian markets require a coarse, ark,
heavy type of tobacco, grown extensively in the Clarksville district of

143

144 YEARBOOK OF THE U. 8S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.

Tennessee and Kentucky. The Austrian and Swiss markets require a
lighter-colored and more leafy tobacco, which is grown upon the lighter
and poorer soils of the Clarksville district. The l'rench market requires
a still lighter and coarser leaf. Nearly all of the Maryland tobacco
and much of the Virginia and Ohio tobaccos go to France, Holland,
and Germany for pipe smoking, as it is a mild, sweet-flavored tobacco,
with free burning qualities, making it specially suitable for this use.
The cigarette tobacco comes principally from the bright tobacco soils of
Virginia, North and South Carolina, and eastern Tennessee.

Tobacco can be grown on almost any well-drained soil which will
produce Indian corn; but the climatic conditions and the texture and
physical properties of the soil so greatly modify the development of the
plant as to determine the distribution of the different classes and
types. Climatic conditions control, of course, the general distribution,
but the influence of the texture of the soil in modifying the effect of
these climatic conditions determines the local distribution of types.
Tobacco readily adapts itself to a wide range of climatic conditions, as
is seen in the distribution of the plant in our own country from Florida
to Wisconsin, While it adapts itself very readily to the different con-
ditions of temperature and rainfall which normally prevail during the
growing season throughout this wide range of territory, seasons which
are either too wet or too dry very often reduce the yield per acre and
impair the quality and the value of the product. The plant is, further-
more, peculiarly sensitive to the conditions of moisture and heat, result-
ing under existing climatie conditions from the texture and physical
properties of the different soil formations, and this largely determines
the local distribution of the different types of tobaceo.

ADAPTATION OF SOILS TO VARIETIES OF TOBACCO.

Soils adapted to the production of the coarse shipping tobacco, suit-
able for the English and German markets, will not produce fine tobacco
of any variety. Soils containing a large proportion of clay, or which
otherwise are very retentive of moisture, produce large, heavy plants,
which cure dark-brown or red, with large quantities of oil or gum in
the leaves. Light, sandy soils, on the other hand, produce a thinner
leaf, which cures a very bright red, mahogany, and even lemon yellow.
So marked is this influence of soil upon the quality of tobacco that a
fine bright-tobacco land may be separated by only a few feet from a
heavier clay soil which will produce only a coarse, heavy shipping leaf.
Varieties which produce an excellent quality of tobacco on soils to
which they are adapted produce an entirely different type when planted
on lands of a different character, and frequently fail entirely. Yellow
Pryor and Orinoco grown upon rich lowlands, especialiy if well
manured, produce a strong, heavy type of tobacco, while upon light,
new land the product of the same varieties is yellow, fine flavored,
thin textured, and sweet.

RELATION OF SOILS TO CROP PRODUCTION. 145

Manures and fertilizers tend to increase the yield per acre, but in
the case of the fine, bright tobaccos this is usually accompanied by a
deterioration of the quality of the product, especially if excessive
quantities of stable manure and other forms of nitrogenous manures
are added to the land. With the heavier varieties of tobacco, how-
ever, this increase of yield is often accompanied by a marked improve-
ment in the quality of the product, as it becomes richer and contains
more oil and gum, which is an advantage for the purpose to which this
class of tobacco is adapted.

The distribution of the principal types of tobacco may be broadly
stated as follows: The seed-leaf, or Havana, tobacco is produced in
such quantities and such excellence as to give a distinct character to
localities in Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio,
Illinois, Wisconsin, and Florida; the red shipping leaf gives a distinet
character to localities in Virginia, Kentucky, Indiana, Tennessee, Lowa,
and Arkansas; the white Burley gives a distinct character to localities
in Ohio and Kentucky; heavy shipping tobacco for export gives a
distinet character to localities in Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia,
Kentucky, and Tennessee; mahogany and yellow wrappers and smokers
give a distinct character to localitiesin Virginia, North and South Car-
olina, and eastern Tennessee.

The best soils for these different classes and types of tobacco are
very different, ranging from the light, sandy lands of the pine barrens
for the fine yellow varieties to the heavy clay soils of the limestone
areas for the heavier grades of tobacco. This must always be borne in
mind, as otherwise there would be apparent contradictions, since in
some districts light, sandy loams, and in others strong clay soils, are
described as best adapted to the variety of tobacco which gives char-
acter to the locality.

The writer has endeavored to study during the past season the con-
ditions maintained by the soils adapted to some of these different
classes and types of tobacco for the purpose of determining those which
are essential to the best development of each of these types. This infor-
mation, with a knowledge of the ordinary climatic conditions, would give
a basis for the classification of tobacco soils and for the improvement
and modification of the conditions in many soils which are not, under
present methods of manuring and cultivation, well adapted to any par-
ticular type of tobacco. This work involves considerable preliminary
examination of the pliysical conditions of the soilsin the localities which
are to be selected, and then the establishment of observing stations in
these different areas. It has been impossible, for various reasons, to
obtain in one year records of the soil conditions from many localities |
and, with respect to the localities from which we have obtained records,
the data are not yet all available, and will not be until the tobacco is
cured.

146 YEARBOOK OF THE U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.

TOBACCO SOILS OF THE CONNECTICUT VALLEY.

The influence of soil upon the quality of the tobacco grown in the
Connecticut Valley is very marked. Where the soil is a heavy clay
loam, or for other reasons is normally very moist, the tobacco produces
a thick leaf which has considerable oil and gum in its tissues, cures a
dark color, and will bear sweating well, but is not well suited for cigar
wrappers at present because light-colored, thin-textured wrappers are
in demand at this time. Upon light, sandy soils the quality is very
fine, the texture of the leaf is thin, and the color is light. It is this type
of tobacco which is at present in demand for cigar wrappers. A good
wrapper for our domestic use at present requires a leaf of fine texture
and small veins, but with plenty of body. It must have elasticity and
strength to make it pliable in working, and it must have good sweating
qualities to bring out the flavor and to give it the aroma it needs when
finally cured.

Samples of the soils and subsoils have been collected from a number
of localities representing some of the principal types of land adapted to
tobacco and several soils not adapted to this crop. Observations have
been taken every day during the growing season to determine the
amount of moisture in the soils in several places.

The accompanying table gives the mechanical analyses of three of
the very finest types of tobacco soil in the State of Connecticut for the
light-colored, thin-textured wrappers.

TABLE'8.— Mechanical analyses of subsoils of tobacco land.

4 ry a oll Ge i ' rg : | I
mM od = = = al
ort te a = co = ve) =| <2 ito}
So 42 & Ma Ae ol Sot E = o.
reel eats é Sh GE ~ QE = ie aes
nm! | 5 Ty Le Cane ——_ oe ro) Sais -&
= r oe R a} es u E > . ae ~s
No. Locality. i zs = O15 =n Ae AS “a sae =
j Ba tert ru | einai Sa | ay 8 ZS s
oa i na ae ado) = Lo me, "oS BS
mr oe io “y— Pot al ee a OG a
wa er 2 = = | 4 a re) 6 S
ow ee eq } o | > oO P=) 2 =
is = rk r | | By } or a r
a OC © LY | Pe NM i

CONNECTICUT. |
842 | 34miles east of East Hart- | Per ct. Perct. Peret. Perct. Per ct. Per et. Peret.| Peret.| Perct. | Per ct.

fOLd,. PlAaINS Yass s.scicee | 0.46 | 2.08 | 1.05 | 5.03 | 18.31 | 25.83 | 32.11 | 11.31} 1.15] 2251
1254>|| Poquonock —..°:..-..--.-- 0.56 | 1.64 3.22 | 7.53 | 19.64 | 23.76 | 34.50] 5.92] 0.78] 2.58
729 | East Hartford, Podunk | | | | | |

| }
Gistrictien--< cesar 0.49 | 2.05 | 0.09 | 0. 30 Teak 9.95 | 52.47 | 27.73 3. 56 4.00

The amount of clay in these samples ranges from 2.5.to 4 per cent.
The soil of the “plains,” near East Hartford, is a very light, sandy
soil, which grows a tobacco of a very fine texture and very good color,
but the yield per acre is naturally low. The conditions which give this
land its characteristic value are undoubtedly to be found in the small
content of clay and in the small amount of moisture which these
“plains” soils maintain. No observations have been made on the
moisture condition of these sols in their natural condition in the field.

The subsoil of the Poquonock lands is seen to contain about 2.53 per
cent of clay, 5.92 per cent of silt, and less than 1 per cent of fine silt,

a

RELATION OF SOILS TO CROP PRODUCTION. TAZ

These soils have almost identically the same texture as the ‘plains”
soil, and the development, texture, and color of the tobacco crop is
believed to be about the same. The yield is larger in this particular
locality, because the lands have been more intelligently cultivated.
This is believed to represent the finest type of land of the Connecti-
cut Valley for the light-colored, thin-textured cigar wrapper, which
approaches the Sumatra grade. When heavy, dark wrappers are in
style this soil can not compete with the heavy limestone soils of Penn-
sylvania for the domestic market.

Per Cent

Vite. een eae

Fine silt. Clay.

OF Raz Ries

Cun)

Ro
Grad

5-.25 .25-.1 1-05 .05-.01 01-065 |.005-.0001

Diameter of the grains in millimeiers.

Fig. 4.—Mechanical separation of the gravel, sand, silt, and clay in 20 grams of subsoil from
Poquonock, Conn., adapted to tobacco.

The amount of moisture has been determined in these soils through-
out the growing season. The results are shown in a diagram, figure 6,
page 149. The figures on the left-hand side of the Ciagram indicate
the percentage of moisture found in the soil to a depth of 12 inches
from the surface. The dotted portions of the line pass through the
dates where observations are missing.

The soils of the Podunk region of East Hartford and Windsor, rep-
resented by No. 729, are seen to have about 4 per cent of clay and 27.73
per cent of silt, with 3.56 per cent of fine silt. The relatively large
amount of silt makes these soils more retentive of moisture than the
soils of Poquonock, and they are said to grow a rather heavier type of
tobacco. The relative character of the crops of these two soils during
the past season can not be exactly determined until the crops come out
of the sweat and are finally cured, which requires nearly a year from
the time the crop is harvested.

148 YEARBOOK OF THE U. 8. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.

It will be seen that the soil of the Podunk district contained during
the season considerably more moisture than the soil at Poquonock, and

this undoubtedly accounts for the heavier and darker type of tobacco
produced.

Per Cent.

Gravel. Coarse sand. pe Fine sand. | Veryfinesand.

MOM

"Diameter of the grains in millimeters

lta. 5.—Mechanical separation of the gravel, sand, silt, and clay in 20 grams of subsoil of the
Podunk district, East Hartford, Conn., adapted to tobacco.

ITatfield, Mass., is another center for the tobacco industry of the
Connecticut Valley, and samples have been collected from a number of
localities in that vicinity. Their mechanical analyses are given in the
accompanying table.

TABLE 9.— Mechanical analyses of subsoils.

Sh f ;. s La] icon} =| = | !
E3 2 = A Ga fslice Bg 2 i) BS)
SS $ 5 CHS ease | | eye LE = = on
stat ee || aes 7 Le ae nF og ¥ 3 eee
No. Locality. eed = © | of Bice me AS re sets A
, Sai ce Coal hvac lla |p oS ye) s
Se) @ | 2 RS oe |) Ge) pel Sele eens
eae ee ee eee Nee et pl)
= S SS) a cl a 42 Fy o
ee peal ae
TASSACHUSETTS. 5 |
" ied nie Per ct.| Per ct. Perct. Per ct.' Per ct.| Per ct. | Per ct. Per ct. | Per ct.' Per ct.
|
1039 | Hatfield, ‘‘2-acre lot’’....| 0.21 | 1.48 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 2. 50 | 28.11 | 55.78 | 10.71 0. 63 0. 92

1173 | Hatfield, representing

average soils of this lo-

S
=
i=)
>
te
'
‘
'
'
i=)
a
=)
bo
4
=

0.00 | 0.00 | 0.40 | 9.00 | 42.12 | 38.90; 3.07 3.17
875 | Hatfield, 100 feet from

Connecticut River...... 0.66 | 2.15 | 0.00 |] 0.00 | 0.12 2.31 | 40.30 | 45,41 4,15 4, 50
901 | Hatfield, 200 feet from

Connecticut River.....-. 0.82 | 2.90 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.21 2.13 | 38.11 | 45.09 | 4.76 5.98

Not suited to tobacco.

999 | Hatfield, ‘heavy loam’’...) 0.88 | 3.45 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 6.10 | 0.43 | 21.88 | 67.00 |. 3.41 2. 61
1250 | Hatfield, ‘‘meadow land”’-| 0.10 | 4.75 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0:05 | 0.50 | 32.64 | 49.32 | 5.46 6.79

RELATION OF SOILS TO CROP PRODUCTION. 149

There are two very different types of land represented here. Sample
No. 1039 came from a 2-acre lot in the town of Hatfield, considered to
be of the very finest type of tobacco land of the locality. The yield
per acre is small, but the color, texture, and quality of the tobacco are
very superior, and the wrappers bring a high price. It will be seen
that the texture of this soil is similar to that of the Poquonock and of

JUNE. JULY.
16|17|/8)19\20|21|\22\23\24425126\27|28|29130| /|2|3)4)5|6|7)8\9|/0\/s\/2\13|/4|/5)/6
33
3 sr f 1 + | a= ar I |
+ + + 1 + + Ne at at ———
z |
1 —— +
E t 1 1
s
‘liars as =
26 ~ ee ina |
a ail
la | | Lo ee Ba al ¥
et CCL AR f
25 : . alate |
2 he *. | . A.
a (aS tony + - + —} -
22 ‘ | ABS.| [ |
— i bella peat | 4 es -|-
el} | | ia felis |S Rel ERS eS ge
20)
19 |
- — y +—- + a + +——-4 u
18 Vales | | i y [a EP lee siete
ue | | | : [| ft | || leAszladanroko|
16 y | ConW.
/5 | Ag
l4 eet » oD aT = + Pert 5 ea 1 + 1 2 ae | =f = T
13 |
12 +—+ + — Sans GED GE! RE Ge Ge +— + r= ii te 1
neal eek ie ie eel le
/0 f
3]
a al la ele
6 aie sles
ale a = = eee = aa | ] af 1a
aa t
=| + iP + ae —— — + + a =
3 | ie |e (LES
2
aN a
I mele ck dh eal
0 |

Fra. 6.—Curves showing the amount of moisture in the tobacco soils at Poquonock, East
Hartford, and Hatfield, in the Connecticut Valley.

the “plains” soil at East Hartford. Sample No, 1175 represents about
the average tobacco soils of the Hatfield district. This is said to pro-
duce a very fine quality of tobacco. It will be seen from the analysis
that the texture of this soil is quite similar to that of the Podunk dis-
trict of Connecticut. Samples Nos. 875 and 901 represent what are

150 YEARBOOK OF THE U. 8S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.

called the “river sands,” near the edge of the first terrace overlooking
the river. They have a small percentage of clay, but a rather large
amount of silt. This might make them rather too retentive of moisture,
but their Pee on the bank of the river insures perfect drainage, as
the bluff is 25 or 30 feet high at this place. For this reason these soils
produce a very fine quality of tobacco, as fine in every way as does
No. 1039. The importance of the bluff in securing thorough drainage
to these lands is very marked. Sample No. 875 is taken about 100 feet
nearer the river bank than No. 901, and the soil is considered more
valuable for tobacco than the other, the product being brighter and of
a finer texture.

The other two samples were taken from different types of land.
Sample No. 999 represents what is
locally known as a “heavy loam”

eae Hertford Hatfield | and No, 1250 is from a meadow land.
28%

These two soils are said to produce
tobaceo the leaves of which are
coarse textured and oily, do not take
on a good color, and are unsuited to
the present market demands; but
when dark wrappers are in style
these lands will be taken up and the
cultivation of tobacco will be aban-
doned on the light soils. These soils
do not differ materially from the
other samples at Hatfield except in
the large amount of silt they con-
tain. Owing to this large amount of
silt and tothe peculiar arrangement
of the silt grains, these soils are very
close and very retentive of moisture,
and to these soil peculiarities are
} due the characteristics which unfit
Wid. 7 Average amount of water maintained! (MIS bObacco for the present demand.

in 20 grams of tobacco soils at Poquonock, The plants show all the symptoms of

East Hartford, and Hatfield, in the Connecti- i

ane an excessive growth from an exces-

. sive water supply.

The accompanying diagram (fig. 6) shows the amount of moisture
maintained during a part of June and July in the soils at Poquonock,
where the light wrappers are produced, in the soils of the Podunk dis-
trict, and in this “heavy loam” soil at Hatfield (No. 999), which is
unsuited to tobacco.

Figure 7 shows the actual amount of water maintained, on the aver-
age, by 20 grams of the soil at Poquonock, and at Hast Hartford, and of
this heavy loam at Hatfield, through the season. The excessive amount
of moisture maintained by the Hatfield soil is strikingly apparent.

RELATION OF SOILS TO CROP PRODUCTION. 151

It may be asked if this ‘‘ heavy loam” from Hatfield is better adapted
to other types of tobacco. This is undoubtedly so, but just at present
the heavy, coarse types of tobacco, which in its present condition it is
adapted to grow, are worth but little. It may also be asked if the con-
ditions could be modified so as to make the land better adapted to the
finer types of cigar tobacco. This could undoubtedly be done. The
first thing needed would be to underdrain the land by tile drains so as
to remove as much as possible of the excess of water. The tobacco
should be grown on high beds or ridges, which would keep the roots
in drier soil and inaterially improve the texture and quality of the crop.
The texture of the soil should be changed by judicious methods of
cropping, manuring, and cultivation, making it more loamy and less
retentive of moisture. The excessive growth of the plants could be
checked by cultivation, or by the use of certain manures and chemicals
which would prevent the plants from taking up so much moisture not-
withstanding its abundance in the soil. But all this would be expen-
sive, and it is a question whether it could be economically done under
the prevailing conditions.

TOBACCO SOILS OF PENNSYLVANIA.

The characteristic tobacco of Pennsylvania is grown on the heavy
limestone soils having a stiff red-clay subsoil. These soils represent the
very finest type of agricultural land, being well adapted to both wheat
and grass. They are identical in geological formation, texture, and
agricultural value with the soils of the Cumberland Valley of western
Maryland and Virginia and with the soils of the blue-grass region of
Kentucky. There are, of course, many areas along the river, on the
islands, and back in other of the geological formations of the hill coun-
try where sandy soils prevail and where a light-colored, thin-textured
leaf is produced. This latter type of tobacco at present has a higher
market value than the crop from the heavier soils, but the type which
has given character to the tobacco area of Pennsylvania is that grown
upon these rich and fertile limestone soils of Lancaster and the adja-
cent counties. These limestone soils produce a heavy, dark type of
tobacco admirably adapted for wrappers for our domestic use when dark
cigars happen to be in fashion.

The fad or fancy for light or dark cigars is difficult to explain. It
causes prices to fluctuate first in favor of one and then of the other of
our two principal domestic types of tobacco.

These conditions should be fully realized by the tobacco planters so
that they can adapt themselves to the market demands which they can
not control. They should fully understand the important influence of
the character of the soil on their crop. When the fashion calls for light
cigars they should cultivate only their lighter soils and use their heavier
lands for other crops. When dark cigars are in demand the lighter soils
Should be diverted from this use and the heavier soils be once more

152 YEARBOOK OF THE U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.

taken up. The method of cultivation also should teud to emphasize as
much as possible the differences in the conditions of these two classes of
soils; the lighter soils should have perfect drainage and maintain but a
small amount of moisture, while the heavier soils should maintain at all
times an abundant and uniform supply of moisture.

The-accompanying table gives the mechanical analyses of two sub-
soils of tobacco lands from the typical tobacco area of Lancaster
County.

Tassie 10.—Mechanical analyses of subsoils.

its oc! rd =) re : all Howl
8 a | ili i= erel A A = = | 10
+ A Bi a SS hea ees E Sadie he
= I ne née ne & Saal ——an| ar
e . A oh 5 5 = ok = Ste | eee
No. Locality. 2 Pe ae aa ; A= = 2 gape) es
a r) Ai 51 O19 1 2 So | ks
3 b a> sale oe ae = o° Ghso
20 AWS hy ie | adeeneae ia a= A a
S OES) a - a & ‘S)
ie a | | : | a |
PENNSYLVANIA. Per ct.| Per ct.|Per ct.|Per ct.| Per ct.| Perct.| Per ct. |Per ct.\P. ct.
VBOOU | MMarigtta~ cs. on-cacseees see | 4.36 0.12 0. 22 0.27 0.37 7.48 28.28 | 16.24 | 35.80
iMG} lh) by yey Aen ay aes Jee ea ee 5. 34 0,36 0.40 |} 0.93 3.11 11.45 30.55 | 10.35 | 36.30
|

Per Cent.

rae ia

Diameter of the grains in millimeters.

Fic. 8.—Mechanical separation of the gravel, sand, silt, and clay in 20 grams of subsoil from
Marietta, Pa., adapted to tobacco.

It will be seen that these subsoils contain about 36 per cent of clay,
nearly as much silt, and about half as much fine silt.

They contain
only a very small percentage of sand.

There can hardly be a greater

contrast in agricultural soils than between these heavy limestone soils

adapted to grass, wheat, and the heavy types of tobacco, and the light
sandy lands of the Connecticut Valley.

al

RELATION OF SOILS TO CROP PRODUCTION. 153

The accompanying diagram (fig. 9) shows the amount of moisture
maintained during the month of July by the soil at Marietta, from
determinations in samples taken in the field and sent in to the labora-
tory of the United States Department of Agriculture, compared with
the moisture determinations at Poquonock and Kast Hartford, Conn.,
which have been given elsewhere.

=
w

~
MN

~
a

Fic. $.—Curves showing the amount of moisture in tobacco soils at Poquonock and East
Hartford, Conn., and Marietta, Pa.

It will be seen that the limestone soil at Marietta maintains nearly
three times as much water for the plants as the light soil at Poquonock,
and this more abundant water supply would be expected to have just
the effect which is apparent in the darker, heavier type of tobacco pro-
duced.

154 YEARBOOK OF THE U. 8. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.

The Connecticut Valley tobacco competes principally with the Suma-
tra, and the Pennsylvania with the Cuban tobacco. Our planters
claim that the domestic wrappers from the Connecticut Valley have a
better color and a better flavor than the Sumatra tobacco. The latter,
however, has an exceedingly thin leaf, hardly thicker than tissue paper,
but remarkably strong, elastic, and pliable. The veins are so delicate
that they do not need to be removed. The leaves are so thin and yet
so strong and cut to such advantage that manufacturers can estimate
very closely how many cigars a pound of wrapper will cover. It is
said to cover from four to seven times as many cigars as an equal
weight of the domestic leaf. The cigars also have a smoother appear-
ance and are thought to make a bet-
ter appearance in the windows and
show cases. For these reasons
manufacturers have been paying
from $3 to $5 per pound for the
Sumatra wrapper rather than pay
from 25 to 50 cents per pound for
the domestic leaf. The problem
before our planters, therefore, is to
make a smaller and thinner leaf,
with more elasticity and strength
and with much smaller veins. The
peculiar character of the Sumatra
tobacco must be largely due to the
climatic conditions of the island, but
the same result can possibly be ob-
tained here by close and intelligent
attention to selection and breeding
of varieties and by control of the
soil conditions.

The Pennsylvania tobacco is well
Fie- 10. —The average amount of water in2)) sadapted 10b cifar wrappers niLmlE

grams of tobacco soils of Poquonock and 5 i
Metta: lacks the peculiar delicate flavor
and aroma of the best grades of
imported Havana. These qualities are undoubted:y due, in large part
at least, to the tropical climatic conditions of the island. Whether
these same qualities can be obtained in the same perfection under the
existing climatic conditions in Pennsylvania, and if not, whether these
conditions can be so controlled or changed as to give the desired qual-
ities, can not be foretold, but offer a legitimate and promising subject
for investigation. The improvement of the crop should be carried on
in the lines indicated in this paper by comparing the conditions of cli-
mate, especially the conditions of moisture and temperature, within the
range of the best tobacco soils of Cuba, with those conditions prevail-
ing in Pennsylvania. When these are known they will form a basis,

Poguonock Marietta

Light Wrappers |Dark NueppErs
% 18%

RELATION OF SOILS TO CROP PRODUCTION. 155

otherwise wanting, for the intelligent control of the soil conditions or
the improvement of methods of cultivation and treatment.

Tobacco is grown in Pennsylvania in rather small patches, the aver-
age size of the fields being about 3 acres. A small proportion of the
farmers cultivate as much as 5 acres, but it is rather uncommon to have
more than this, and there is a disadvantage in having more, as the crop
can not be so well attended to. The crop is grown under a very inten-
Sive system of cultivation, involving great care, labor, and expense.
With such small areas as these there is no good reason why planters
should not insure their crop against injury by drought by having small
irrigation plants which would render them in a measure independent
in case of any deficiency in the rainfall. The water could be obtained
either from springs or streams, of which there are a great many in that
limestone area, or by pumping with a windmill or small farm engine.
In the arid regions of Kansas a good windmill, it is claimed, will fill a
reservoir large enough to irrigate as much as 5or 10 acres of land, even
where several applications of water have to be used during the growing
season. In the tobacco area of Pennsylvania probably one thorough
irrigation would carry a crop over the most prolonged drought which
is there liable to occur. A reservoir 100 feet square would be sufficient
to irrigate the crop, and this reservoir could be stocked with fish, which
would prove a source of pleasure and profit. If it were kept constantly
filled it could be drawn upon for the tobacco crop when needed, for the
garden if it were conveniently located, and for other general farm
purposes. The cost of such an outfit would be comparatively small;
it could be made to pay by the amountof fish it would produce, if prop-
erly attended to, and as a measure of precaution and insurance against
loss of the crop by drought it would be a wise investment even if it
were used only once in two or three seasons.

Where there are no available springs or streams and a windmill can
not well be used, a small farm engine, such as would run a thrashing
machine, could be very economically employed. Such an engine
attached to one of the many forms of irrigating pumps would irrigate
the entire tobacco field in a day or two at a very inconsiderable cost
for fuel, labor, and wear and tear of machinery. The advantage of
this would be that with small driven or bored wells located on different
parts of the farm the engine and pump could be moved from place to
place as the different fields were cultivated in tobacco in rotation from
season to season.

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