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Tobacco—9.
WORK OF THE AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT
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Abstracted by J, I, SCHULTE, Office of Experiment Stations,
“WITH INTRODUCTION AND COMMENTS BY
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“MILTON WHITNEY,
; CHIEP, DIVISION OF SOILS.
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Bulletin No. 11, Division of Soils.—Tobacco Soils of the. United ge a a Pr
inary. Report upon the Soils of the Principal Tobacco Districts, by Milton whi
Chief of Division of Soils.
Farmers’ Bulletin No. 60.—Methods of Curing Tobacco (revised edition), by
Whitney, Chief of Division of Soils. |
Farmers’ Bulletin No. 82.—The Culture of Tobacco, by. Otto Carl Batioow
_ Farmers’ ears No. 83.—Tobacco Se by Milton Bee Chiet of D
of Soils.
Cultivation of Tobacco i in n Sumatra, by Emile Mulder. °
Report No. 59.—Curing and Fermentation of Cigar-leaf “Tabhiec by De
Loew, of the Division of Vegetable Physiology and Pathology. =
_~ Report No. 60.—Temperature Changes in Fermenting Piles of Cigar-leat To a
by Milton Whitney and Thomas H. Means, of the Division of Soils. —-
Report No. 62.—Cultivation of Cigar-leaf Tobacco in Florida, by Marcus L. F
of the Division of Soils, in souperann with the Division. of Vegetable Physi
and Pathology.
S. 26. P Tobacco—9.
O. E. S. 328. ;
eo See PAR LMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
Report No. 638.
THE
WORK OF THE AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT
STATIONS ON TOBACCO
Abstracted by J. I. SCHULTE, Office of Experiment Stations,
WITH INTRODUCTION AND COMMENTS BY
Pee ee 2 aT IN EY ,
CHIEF, DIVISION OF SOILS.
WASHINGTON:
GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE.
1900.
LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL.
U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE,
DrvIsION OF SOILs,
Washington, D. C., January 6, 1900.
Str: In taking up the line of tobacco investigation, authorized by
the Fifty-fifth Congress, it was considered desirable to review the
work done by the experiment stations. To this end Dr. A. C. True,
Director of the Office of Experiment Stations, was requested to have
an abstract made of all such work and he detailed Mr. J. I. Schulte of
that office to compile this data.
As I believe the results of the experiment station work thus brought
together will be of value to the stations in planning further, more sys-
tematic, and more comprehensive work, and as they will also be of
interest to tobacco men, I recommend that the accompanying manu-
script be published as Report No. 63 of this Department.
Respectfully,
Mitton WHITNEY,
Chief of Division,
| In charge of Tobacco Investigation.
Hon. JAMES WILSON,
Secretary of Agriculture.
LETTER OF SUBMITTAL.
U. 8. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE,
OFFICE OF EXPERIMENT STATIONS,
Washington, D. C., January 2, 1900.
Str: In accordance with your request I send you herewith abstracts
of the accounts of investigations on tobacco, which have been pub-
lished by the agricultural experiment stations in the United States and
Canada. These abstracts have been prepared by Mr. J. I. Schulte, of
this Office, in accordance with my instructions. Only in a few States
have the experiment stations undertaken tobacco investigations in any
thorough manner. In many cases their studies on this subject have
been incidental to other inquiries or have been distinctly minor pieces
of work. This will very largely account for the fragmentary character
of the work, as indicated in this summary.
Respectfully, ~ A.7C.. Trum,
Director.
Prof. Mirron WHITNEY,
Chief of Division of Sorts.
4
CONTENTS.
Page.
JUL DEES Eps ele ate eS age 7
Manes oF Stowinm plats. m sce. beds.=_=4_>2...2-.22+.:.2.-.--.--2-2---- 8
OPES ER TSST CTs Cog POE aes a a a Se pce ee 10
Influence of distance in planting on the yield and thickness of the leaf --_-_--- 12
PEE TEE USS Ea ee EE a oe ee a ee Se Se 14
LODE LET ES ae SpE Oa een eg dS 19
Influence of time of harvesting on the yield and thickness of the leaf... -- 20
ree essere LORAECO Piamlis (22 oe sk nt Sos 2 hk 21
erage MEE SEES S178 ASEMIITIPC ELAN ot 8 Fa eft =e eee es a ge Soe eee eS 21
(LL TU SEE Se Se aps ae ee ae ne ee ee 22
LEE SEE ESE EPS eR OIE Ble ac ee a a eg EE Dea 24
age See Tet PR SELES BS Sees ee Spee 25
ioe enc TER eI ph ee se ee IP hy eg Se or 28
ns ea nnERU INE SEMEN EG as.) ft mh eco 20 Piet He ee oe Bek 29
Ghenucal composition of the tobacco.plant...- +2. 2---- -2222.-140-2 242-22 30
PeneLUum es tORALCH 2 2 2 2S 2 Ss 5 Sige Oe WAS ead 33
eehretl eet are MLeMIS 25 fertilizers. 2 ~ 2 2s. 25 22 8 es 22 et ol 2. 34
LE TO Ca Reh PT: Ne Ae) eM 35
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WLEE ) RURPEIE SOT (ESC D2 ie as geen tice ie ee ek mn ag See eae Reg ei 37
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THE WORK OF THE AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT
STATIONS ON TOBACCO.
INTRODUCTION.
For some years past the agricultural experiment stations in various
sections of the country have carried on investigations in the raising
and curing of tobacco. This work for the most part has been desul-
tory and, being published in so many bulletins—often as a small note
or record of progress—it was considered advisable to bring the work
together in order to show what lines had received attention and what
results had been attained. It is hoped that by thus bringing together
the lines of work and presenting the subject as a whole, some of the
stations may be induced to take up the subject in a more compre-
hensive and thorough manner and throw more light upon the various |
phases of the growth and curing of tobacco which have assumed such
a degree of economic importance in many districts of this country.
Some of the subjects which have been investigated by the stations
have been fully worked out by growers in one or more sections of the
country, and there are a number of problems which the growers have
solved by themselves without the intervention or assistance of the
stations. Then again there are many problems now confronting the
tobacco growers which they have not been able to solve and which
the experiment stations have not taken up, or at least have not pub-
lished reports upon. So far as possible in the limits of this article,
these subjects are briefly referred to, in order to make this report as
full, comprehensive, and valuable as possible.
Tobacco, as a commercial crop, is at present confined to a very few
of the States, and to limited and rather well-defined areas in those
States. It thus happens that only a very few of the agricultural
experiment stations are located in or near tobacco districts. The
tobacco industry has become so highly specialized that it is necessary
for the successful investigator to become closely identified with the
economic details of tobacco culture and handling in order to both
intelligently select material to work with and to plan the work for
some real economic advancement. Under these conditions it would
never be desirable for many stations to undertake investigations in
-
‘
8
tobacco, but it would be very much better if the work could be cen-
tralized and undertaken in a systematic way by two or three stations
favorably located for this work. It is well to realize this fact, as there
is no question that the difficulties in the way of investigations along
valuable economic lines are so very great and require so much technical
skill in the manipulation of the leaf that it is considered very far
from advisable for stations to undertake the work unless they are well
equipped and favorably located.
Much of the work which has been done is of marked value. As will
be seen from the table of contents, it has covered a great range of sub-
jects. Nevertheless, it would be better for the stations to concentrate
the work rather than for a great number of stations to undertake
these particular lines.
METHODS OF GROWING PLANTS IN SEED BEDS.
Various methods of starting tobacco seed were compared at the
Alabama State Station in 1892 and 1893.* Seed was started in open beds
and in beds covered with cheese cloth. During the first year of the
experiments the greater number of plants in the open beds were
destroyed during a cold spell in March, and during the second season
they were injured by the flea beetle. In the covered beds the plants
came up well, grew rapidly, and were not subject to insect attacks.
From the results obtained it is evident that under the climatic condi-
tions of Alabama young tobacco plants are readily affected by low
temperatures and quickly killed by freezing weather. The method of
_ starting the seed in a covered bed was the most successful.
The Colorado Station” in pursuing this work in 1889 found that it
took no longer to produce plants suitable for setting out by growing
seeds in cold frames than by the use of the hotbed.
The following method of germinating tobacco seed proved perfectly
successful at the Georgia Station in 1892.° Tobacco seed was placed
in wine glasses and soaked in water for half an hour. The water was
then poured off from the seed and the glasses placed in saucers con-
taining water, and a tumbler inverted over each glass to confine the
moistened seed in a damp atmosphere. The glasses were then placed
in a warm room and the seed kept moist. About a week afterwards,
when the seed began to sprout, it was sowed in a cold frame, and
within four weeks from that time plants suitable for transplanting to
the field were obtained.
Experiments in growing seedling plants were conducted at the Cen-
tral Experimental Farm, Canada, in 1893 and 1897.* Seed was sown
1 Alabama State Station Buls. Nos. 44 and 54.
* Colorada Station Bul. No. 10.
> Georgia Station Bul. No. 19.
*Canada Expt. Farm Rpts., 1893 and 1897.
9
in hotbeds, and some of the plants produced were transplanted to cold
frames and hotbeds before they were set out in the field. In 1893 a
striking difference was noticed between plants set out from the original
hotbed and those transplanted to the cold frame prior to setting out.
The plants taken to the field from the cold frame were stalkier, stronger,
and grew more rapidly than those set out from the first seed bed, and
they were not disturbed very much by being transplanted, but readily
established themselves in their new location. ‘The plants taken directly
from the hotbed to the field were much slower in taking root and many
of them had to be replaced.
In 1897 plants were transplanted to a second hotbed before setting
them out in the field. The results showed that this practice gave stalki-
ness and vigor to the plants and materially reduced the number lost in
transplanting to the field. This method is recommended for eastern
Ontario and the Province of Quebec.
A vast amount of experience has of course been obtained in all of
the tobacco districts in this practical matter of the seed bed. The old
practice of growing plants in protected areas in the forest has been
very generally superseded by using plant cloth for covering or by hot-
bed sash, or even by starting the plants in greenhouses.
In certain districts considerable trouble and loss have been experi-
enced from certain fungous diseases. To prevent these, the soil used
for the plant bed has been sterilized with boiling water, hot stones,
or, preferably, with steam under high pressure. The method of
steaming is quite feasible where there is a power plant from which
steam can be obtained and is to be recommended where fungous dis-
eases give any serious trouble in the plant bed.
Further investigations along this line are needed, both to ascertain
to what extent injuries of this kind are felt and the cost of sterilizing
the soil under the different methods which are used in horticultural
work. | |
Further inyestigations are also needed in the line of protection
against insects both above and below ground. Also investigations are
necessary on methods of treating the plants and preparing them for
the field. There are questions on the treatment of the plants in the
seed bed, such as the matter of watering, which should be carefully
considered; also the very important subject of the kind of soil best
adapted—whether it should be mixed with manures and fertilizers,
what kinds, and to what extent. The production of a vigorous, well-
formed plant for setting out is a subject which deserves the most care-
_ful consideration.
The size, specific weight, and condition of ripeness of the seed, as
well as the method of planting, have a very important bearing upon
the crop, as horticulturists have shown with a number of crops.
10
VARIETIES OF TOBACCO.
At the North Louisiana Station’ at Calhoun ten varieties of tobacco,
namely, Conqueror, Hester, Long-leaf Gooch, Ragland Improved, .
Sweet Oronoko, White Burley, Comstock Spanish, Persian Rose, Im-
proved Havana, and Brazilian American, were tested in 1892. Of
these, Comstock Spanish, Persian Rose, Improved Havana, and Bra-
zilian American are cigar-leaf varieties, and the rest are designated as
bright-leaf varieties. On fertilized, red, sandy land the yields of cured
tobacco per acre ranged from 900 to 1,530 pounds, and on unfertilized,
red, sandy soil, from 399 to 1,200 pounds; on fertilized, gray, sandy
soil the range of yield was from 1,050 to 1,680 pounds; on unfertilized,
gray, sandy soil, from 810 to 1,170 pounds; on fertilized new land,
from 120 to 600 pounds; and without the application of fertilizers,
from 60 to 420 pounds. The bright-leaf varieties, with the exception
of White Burley, produced a leaf which cured a lemon yellow, but
the leaf of the cigar varieties cured too bright. The bright-leaf vari-
eties succeeded best, Hester and Ragland Improved leading, with Con-
queror, Long-leaf Gooch, and Sweet Oronoko closely following. The
cigar varieties produced lighter yields and a poorer quality of leaf.
The use of fertilizers improved the quantity and quality of the crop.
The results of tests made in 1893” showed. that Conqueror, Long
Leaf Gooch, Hester, Oronoko, and Ragland Improved cured brighter
than other bright-leaf varieties, and that Vuelta de Abajo, Havana
Seed-leaf, Imported Havana, Choice Havana, Little Dutch, and Pum-
pelly produced a leaf of greater silkiness and finer texture than other
cigar varieties tested.
In 1895° it was found that White Stem Oronoko, Little Oronoko,
Sweet Oronoko, Oak Hill Yellow, Hyco, Long-leaf Gooch, and Rag-
land Improved cured bright yellow more readily and uniformly than
other varieties of bright-leaf tobacco grown in the experiment. Dur-
ing the same season the cigar varieties, Improved Havana, Connecticut
Seed-leaf, and Little Dutch were grown at the Louisiana State Station
at Baton Rouge. Improved Havana yielded a softer leaf and produced
the largest percentage of wrappers; Connecticut Seed-leaf stood next
in value, and Little Dutch last. The leaves of Little Dutch were too
dark and heavy for cigar wrappers, as would be expected. No inves-
tigations seem to have been made of the qualities after fermentation,
which is the only condition under which cigar types can be judged.
Several varieties of tobacco from Virginia, North Carolina, Florida,
Connecticut, and Cuba were grown at the Alabama State Station in
1892. The Cuban varieties matured first and were ready for cutting -
1 Louisiana Stations Bul. No. 20, 2d ser.
2 Ibid. No. 25, 2d ser.
3Tbid. Nos. 33 and 34, 2d ser.
* Alabama State Station Bul. No. 44.
ao
early in August, but wet weather had forced their growth and the
product was poor in quality. The varieties from Virginia, North
Carolina, and Connecticut did not ripen until September. A number
of cigar varieties were grown in 1894.' Of these, Comstock Spanish
produced a large, bright, thin leaf of good cinnamon color and large
enough for wrappers, and Connecticut Seed-leaf a fine leaf somewhat
lighter in color and smaller in size. Havana Seed-leaf and Havana
produced fillers and binders. The leaf produced by Brazil Gold-leaf
was thin and silky and brighter in color than the leaves produced by
any of the other varieties grown, All these varieties had a decided
cigar flavor with the exception of Brazil Gold-leaf.
From 1891 to 1893, inclusive, the Maryland Station? made a com-
parison of improved and introduced varieties of tobacco and the com-
mon or native sorts grown within the State. The following varieties
were grown: Bonanza, Boyer or Tall Pear Tree, Bradley Broad-leaf,
Broad-leat Thick-set, Bullion, Climax, Connecticut Seed-leaf, Con-
queror, Gold-finder, Havana, Hester, Hybrid Havana, Hyco, Lancaster
~County Seed-leaf, Long-leaf Gooch, Long Red, Narrow-leaf Thick-
set, Oronoko White Stem, Pennsylvania Seed-leaf, Persian, Red
Burley, Saffrano, Thesis, Tilley, Tuckahoe, White Burley, Yellow
Oronoko, Yellow Pryor, and Zimmers Spanish. The best results were
obtained from the varieties ordinarily grown in Maryland and from
seed produced within the State.
Experiments carried on at the Colorado Station ® in 1889 led to the
conclusion that nothing but Havana Seed-leaf should be grown in that
region. Tobacco from seed grown at the station was found to be
much inferior to that grown from imported seed. Since that time no
further work on tobacco has been reported by the station.
Among the earliest and best yielding varieties tested at the Central
Experimental Farm at Ottawa, Canada,* were White Burley, Connec-
ticut Seed-leaf, Pennsylvania Seed-leaf, Yellow Prior, Climax, Yellow
Mammoth, Yellow Oronoko, Saffrano, Brazilian, and Canadian. In 1896
White Burley had matured, when a frost in September greatly injured
later sorts. Connecticut Seed-leaf and White Burley are reported as
being extensively grown in the Province of Quebec and in western
Ontario. |
In connection with a chemical study of the tobacco plant by the
Virginia Experiment Station ® in 1892, it was found that Bradley Broad
Leaf and Yellow Oronoco contained a larger proportion of leaf than
Gold Finder or White Burley. In these varieties the leaves comprised
59.77 and 60 per cent, respectively, of the total weight of the plant,
' Alabama State Station Bul. No. 64.
” Maryland Station Bul. No. 26.
* Colorado Station Bul. No. 10.
* Canada Cent. Expt. Farm Bul. No. 30.
° Virginia Station Bul. No. 14.
12
and the stalks 21 and 20 per cent. The average for all four varieties
was 55 per cent of leaf, 21.9 per cent of stalk, and 23.1 per cent of root.
In planning future work on the varieties of tobacco it is very impor-
tant to keep in mind the purpose for which the tobacco is intended.
The kind of tobacco grown in any district depends in part upon the
climatic conditions and in part upon the character of the soil. The
industry has become so highly specialized that a nondescript tobaeco
has very little market value at the present time. In testing varieties,
therefore, consideration should be given in the first place to the type
of tobacco adapted to the locality and to the soil and the grade which
the climatic conditions and soil may reasonably be expected to pro-
duce. For example, in the Connecticut Valley the most important
question is, What is the best variety for producing a thin wrapper
leaf of from 14 to 18 inches in length, having certain characteristics
which are possessed by the Sumatra wrapper, the present standard of
excellence for cigar wrappers in this country? On the heavier lime-
stone soils of Pennsylvania and in the Ohio district, where a filler type
is grown, the question is, What variety will give the small, highly-
flavored leaf, approaching the Cuban tobacco in quality, in flavor, and
in aroma ?—the Cuban-leaf being the present standard for filler tobacco
for cigars in this country.
One difficulty the experiment stations have found in the tobacco
investigations is the fact that the finest qualities of the leaf are devel-
oped only after certain fermentation or other changes have taken
place in the cured leaf. Most of the stations have not been prepared
to manipulate the tobaccos so that a reliable estimate of their commer-
cial value could be given.
INFLUENCE OF DISTANCE IN PLANTING ON THE YIELD AND THICKNESS
OF THE LEAF.
At the Wisconsin Station a study of the relation of distance of plant-
ing to yield and thickness of leaf was made in 1894 and 1895." In 1894
plants were set 20 inches apart in rows 31 and 36 inches apart and 24
inches apart in rows 42 inches apart. Close planting increased the
yield, and the plants nearest together in the row produced a thinner
leaf than plants set farther apart, but lessening the distance between
the rows did not have this effect. A distance of 31 inches between
the rows was suflicient for the full development of the plants. The
surface area of the cured leaves per pound from the closest planting
was 42.01 square feet, and from the widest planting 40.86 square feet.
In 1895 experiments were made with a view to ascertain to what
extent close planting may be advantageously practiced. The plants
were grown in rows 1, 13, and 24 feet apart with the distance between
1 Wisconsin Station Rpts. 1894 and 1895.
13
plants in the row 1, 1, 13 feet, respectively. In this experiment the
surface area per pound of cured leaf was 60.64 square feet for the
closest planting, 48.34 square feet for the next closest, and 47.40
square feet for the widest planting. The percentage of fillers pro-
duced ranged from 10.19 per cent for. the widest planting to 16.40
per cent for the closest planting.
Close planting gave a large increase in yield and diminished the size
and thickness of the leaf. The difference in the size and thickness of
the leaf between plants grown 13 by 23 and those grown 1 by 24 feet
was not so marked as the difference in the yield, and this effect is con-
sidered as showing that planting 1 foot apart in the row was not too
close for Wilson Hybrid, the variety grown in this experiment.
The experience of the Massachusetts Hatch Station’ with regard to
distance of planting was that planting 3 feet 4 inches by 1 foot 8 inches
and 2 feet 8 inches by 2 feet gave better returns than planting 3 feet
by 1 foot 6 inches. The author concludes that too close planting
interferes with the development of the leaves, while too large spaces
between plants tend to produce coarse leaves.
The Florida growers have shown the great importance of the proper
distance in planting in the improvement of the quality of tobacco.
Mr. M. L. Floyd’ briefly cites the methods used by the Florida
growers:
In order to improve the tobacco and adapt it to the trade demands, these concerns
have indulged in all sorts of experiments, some of which have proved quite expen-
sive. However, they have met with such a degree of success as to warrant them in
continuing the experimental work. There were many questions to be settled. First
of all, what seed should be used. To settle this question seed was obtained and tried
from every part of the country. This point, however, was soon determined and
now there are only two yarieties grown in the State—Sumatra and Cuban—the
Sumatra giving the style required for the wrapper and the Cuban giving the filler
qualities nearest the requirements of the trade. As each of these tobaccos possesses
the quality and style needed, the kind of soil best suited to each was the next point
to be settled; then the proper fertilizer, the quantity necessary, and the proper culti-
vation had to be found out by numerous experiments. At first it was thought that
but little fertilizer of any kind should be used. The tobacco was set out early, given
a distance in the drill of about 24 inches, and topped low; that is, not more than
twelve or fourteen leaves were allowed to each stalk. The result was that the plants
produced large, coarse, undesirable leaves. The next step was to give the tobacco
less distance in the drill; 18 inches were tried. The result was better, but not satis-
factory. From time to time changes were made until now the plant is given 14
inches, the fertilizer is doubled, and the tobacco is topped higher, allowing at least
sixteen leaves to each stalk. The result is that the leaves are of the desirable size
and finer in quality and appearance.
For a long time the cultivation was continued until the time of harvesting, but
this was decidedly wrong. The writer has seen fields of tobacco plowed that were
ripe and ready to be harvested, and in consequence the tobacco turned green and
' Massachusetts Hatch Station Bul. No. 47.
* Report No. 62, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Cultivation of Cigar-leaf Tobacco
in Florida, p. 22.
14
started a new growth. This generally increases the yield, but almost totally destroys
the quality of the tobacco. At present the cultivation stops as soon as the plants
are topped.
When the Sumatra seed was first introduced into Florida, the land selected, the
amount of fertilizers used, and the methods of cultivation and harvesting employed
were the same as those practiced in growing the Cuban variety. With this treat-
ment Sumatra proved to be an absolute failure; many abandoned the seed, while
others continued to experiment. It was soon found that the soil had to be exceed-
- ingly rich, the growth quick; that low topping was ruinous, and that each stalk
should have from twenty-four to thirty leaves, according to the strength of the soil.
When the land was exceedingly rich it was found best not to top at all, but to allow
the plants to go to bloom. Then the leaves would be of desirable size, thin and
smooth; whereas if topped the leaves would curl and thicken. This tobacco is also
crowded into the drill, the plants being given only from 12 to 14 inches. The
growth is rapid; the top leaves soon serve as a shade for the middle and lower
leaves, and the results have been most gratifying. New land proved to be more
desirabie for this variety of tobacco, and it was noticed that when trees were left
standing in the field the plants shaded by trees were far superior to the plants not
so shaded. From this the idea of building artificial shade had its birth. It was also
found that no good results could be obtained if the plants were cut, but the leaves
should be primed off just as they ripen, and at a very early stage of ripeness.
Further experiments along these lines are very much to be desired,
but the purpose of the investigation should be determined beforehand
and the work should tend toward certain ends. For example, to use
an illustration already referred to, the Connecticut growers are inter-
ested in the production of a fine wrapper leaf of moderate size, small
veins, elastic, and with very little flavor. The size of the leaf; thick-
ness, elasticity, and size of the veins may all be more or less modified
by giving space or by crowding in the row. The undesirable qualities
of the Connecticut wrapper should be recognized, as has been done in
the case of the Florida tobacco, and such qualities eliminated by
attention to just such conditions as the distance apart in the row and the
height at which the plants should be topped. On the heavier soils of
Pennsylvania, on the other hand, efforts should be directed to the pro-
duction of a highly flavored leaf of moderate size. These are qualities
which can also be sensibly affected by the distance of planting and by
the time and manner of topping. In the same way in the development
of the tobacco industry in the export and manufacturing districts, the
undesirable qualities in the leaf may often be eliminated by a change
in the method of. planting, cultivation, or topping of the tobacco.
FERTILIZER EXPERIMENTS.
Fertilizer tests with tobacco were conducted at the Kentucky Experi-
ment Station during several seasons. The results of experiments made
in 18891 indicated that muriate of potash and sulphate of potash gave
equally good results as fertilizers for tobacco and that nitrate of soda
x
1 Kentucky Station Bul. No, 28,
15
produced a better quality of leaf than other forms of nitrogen. A
test with complete and incomplete fertilizer applications for tobacco
was made in 1892. A yield of 1,460 pounds of cured leaf per acre
was obtained from an application of 80 pounds of nitrate of soda, 80
pounds of dried blood, 160 pounds of muriate of potash, and 140
pounds of double superphosphate per acre and a yield of 1,620 pounds
was obtained from an application of double these amounts. An appli-
cation of 160 pounds of muriate of potash per acre resulted in a yield
of 1,390 pounds of cured leaf but the crop was poor in quality. Pot-
ash applied alone gave better returns than when applied with nitrate
of soda and dried blood or double superphosphate. The complete
fertilizer mixtures produced the best yields and the heavy application
the best financial results.
In 1893” fertilizers were used on soil ina good state of fertility.
An application of 300 pounds of carbonate of potash and magnesium,
160 pounds of nitrate of soda, and 140 pounds of double superphos-
phate per acre increased the yield of cured leaf by 255 pounds per
acre and, when 160 pounds of muriate of potash was substituted for
the carbonate of potash and magnesium, the yield was increased 265
pounds. Incomplete fertilizer mixtures were least effective.
In 1895°* the experiments were conducted under rather unfavorable
conditions. The author concludes from the results obtained that sat-
isfactory results may be obtained on worn Kentucky soils by applying
potash fertilizers, especially when used in connection with nitrogenous
fertilizers.
The results obtained in 1896 * confirm the conclusions of the previous
season.
The Maryland Station conducted fertilizer tests in different tobacco-
growing sections of Maryland in 1891° and 1892. Dissolved South
Carolina rock and dissolved bone black proved to be profitable sources
of phosphoric acid, and high-grade sulphate of potash followed by
cotton-seed hull ashes was found to be the best form of potash. The
author concludes that nitrogen should be applied in two forms: One-
half as nitrate of soda and the other half in some organic form, such
as dried blood or tankage.
In 1892 the North Louisiana Experiment: Station at Calhoun ® con-
ducted fertilizer experiments with tobacco on red sandy and gray
sandy soil. Potash had little or no effect on the increase of the crop,
but nitrogen either in the form of nitrate of soda, sulphate of ammonia,
cotton-seed meal, or dried blood caused a marked increase in the quan-
tity produced. An application consisting of cotton-seed meal, acid
‘Kentucky Station Bul. No. 45. ‘Ibid. No. 66.
2 Tbid. No. 55. ° Maryland Station Bul. No. 26.
*Thid. No. 63, ° Louisiana Stations Bul. No. 20, 2d ser,
16
phosphate, and sulphate of potash produced the best quality of leaf.
These tests were continued in 1893,' and the results indicated that nitro-
gen was needed most, while potash was the least necessary. Complete
fertilizer mixtures gave the best results, in some cases increasing the
yield over 100 per-cent as compared with a crop grown without the
use of fertilizers.
The results of the work carried on in 1894 and 1895? confirm the
conclusions drawn from the experiments of the preceding seasons
and indicated that cotton-seed meal was the best and cheapest source
of nitrogen for the tobacco crop in that region. Since potash had
shown itself least effective in this series of experiments it is concluded
that cotton-seed meal and acid phosphate is the best tobacco fertilizer
mixture for the soils on which the experiments were made.
The effects of different fertilizers on tobacco were studied at the
Virginia Station® in 1890. Five plats fertilized with complete fer-
tilizers, all of the same cost per acre, were compared with an unfer-
tilized plat. Asa source of nitrogen, dried blood gave the largest
yield and the best financial returns. Dried blood in connection with
nitrate of soda also gave good results, and where these fertilizers
were applied, either in combination or separately, the tobacco fired
very little as compared with the tobacco grown on the unfertilized
plat. There was also much more stalk rot on the unfertilized plat
than on the other plats. The plat which had received sulphate of
ammonia, sulphate of potash, and acid phosphate suffered most from
field fire and gave smaller returns than any other of the fertilized
plats. The tobacco grown without fertilizers ripened from ten days
to two weeks later than the tobacco grown with fertilizers.
In 1893 the Pennsylvania Station * made some experiments to deter-
mine the relative values of various fertilizers for tobacco. The use of
fertilizers increased the size of the wrapper leaves, and an application
of double carbonate of potash and magnesium, contrary to the claim
sometimes made for it, had no restraining effect on the size of the leaf.
The loss in sweating the crop was greatest where barnyard manure had
been used. Phosphoric acid in the form of dissolved bone black
showed a tendency to thicken the leaf, and nitrate of soda produced a
very dense leaf. Double carbonate of potash and magnesium produced
a thinner web than sulphate of potash, but had little effect upon the
vein. As to burning quality, no decided differences were noticed,
except that the duration of glow was least in the crop fertilized with
barnyard manure.
In connection with soil tests made by the North Carolina Sta-
1 Louisiana Stations Bul. No. 25, 2d ser.
2Tbid. Nos. 33 and 41, 2d ser.
3 Virginia Station Bul. No. 12.
* Pennsylvania Station Bul. No. 30.
a” 17
‘ay
tion’ in 1891 and 1892 it wes found that the application of fertilizers
furnishing nitrogen and phosphoric acid produced the best quality of
leaf, while fertilizers supplying nitrogen and potash gave the best
results in yield and total value of crop. Potassium chlorid as a source
of potash was more profitable than kainit or potassium sulphate, but
the use of the sulphate resulted in a better quality of leaf as compared
with the other forms of potash.
Field experiments with tobacco were conducted by the Massachusetts
Experiment Station’ at three different points in the Connecticut Val-
ley within the State during three seasons, from 1893 to 1896. The
different fertilizers applied had a greater effect upon the quality of
the crop than vpon the yield. Cotton-seed meal, linseed meal, and
castor pomace, when used in connection with an amount of nitrate of
soda or nitrate of potash sufficient to furnish one-fourth of the nitrogen
needed by the crop, proved equally good as sources of nitrogen.
Nitrate of soda applied with acid phosphate or dissolved bone black
produced a better quality of tobacco than nitrate of potash under the
same conditions. Cotton-seed hull ashes, followed by high grade sul-
phate of potash, were observed to be the most valuable sources of
potash. Nitrate of potash produced excellent results when used in
connection with an alkaline phosphate, such as phosphoric slag meal
or with carbonate of potash and magnesia. Potash-magnesia sulphate
as the main suurce of potash did not give encouraging results. The
author classifies the fertilizer mixtures used in these experiments as
follows:
First class.
Nitrate of soda, cotton-seed hull ashes, and castor pomace.
Nitrate of soda, cotton-seed hull ashes, and cotton-seed meal.
Nitrate of potash, cotton-seed hull ashes, and cotton-seed meal.
Nitrate of potash, carbonate of potash-magnesia, and phosphatic slag.
Second class.
Nitrate of soda, high grade sulphate of potash, cotton-seed meal, and dissolved
bone black.
Nitrate of soda, high grade sulphate of potash, linseed meal, and dissolved bone
black.
Nitrate of soda, high grade sulphate of potash, castor pomace, and dissolved bone
black. =
Third class.
Nitrate of potash, potash-magnesia sulphate, cotton-seed meal, and dissolved bone
black.
Nitrate of potash, potash-magnesia sulphate, castor pomace, and dissolved bone
black.
1 North Carolina Station Bul. No. 89. _
2 Massachusetts Hatch Sta. Bul. No. 47.
13931—No. 63 2
18
This classification is based on the difference in color and compactness
of the ash of the tobacco grown with the different fertilizer applica-
tions. Since these differences were slight in several instances the
classification is considered as somewhat arbitrary.
The most extensive series of fertilizer tests on tobacco reported by —
the experiment stations was made by the Connecticut State Experi-
ment Station * in connection with the Connecticut Tobacco Experiment
Company during the seasons of 1892 to 1896, inclusive. The experi-
ments were conducted on 28 plats on which different fertilizers or
different amounts of fertilizers were applied, and the conclusions
drawn are based upon the average results for four or five years. An
application of 210 pounds of nitrogen per acre, either in the form of
cotton-seed meal or castor pomace, produced larger crops, a greater
percentage of wrapper leaf, and a better quality of tobacco than an
application of 175 pounds or 105 pounds of nitrogen. A comparison
of cotton-seed meal and castor pomace as tobacco fertilizers showed
that castor pomace produced on an average for five years 25 pounds
of wrappers more per acre than cotton-seed meal, but the average
quality of leaf raised with cotton-seed meal was somewhat better than
that of leaf grown with castor pomace. Linseed meal as a source of
nitrogen produced on an average for four years 157 pounds of wrap-
pers per acre less than castor pomace and 65 pounds less than cotton-
seed meal, but the quality of the leaf from the linseed-meal plat was
decidedly better than from the other two. The average results of a
comparison of dry-ground fish and cotton-seed meal, carried on for four
years, showed that dry-ground fish yielded 257 pounds of wrapper leaf
per acre less than cotton-seed meal, but in quality of product the plat
fertilized with dry-ground fish ranked fourth among the entire number
of plats, while the other plat ranked seventeenth. Dry-ground fish
produced 56 per cent of wrappers in the crop, and the cotton-seed
meal 63 per cent.
Applying one-haif of a dressing furnishing 210 pounds of nitrogen
per acre, in the form of nitrate of soda, when the crop was nearly half
grown, instead of applying the whole amount of nitrogen in the form
of castor pomace prior to setting out, the crop produced a heavier
yield of tobacco suitable for wrappers, but it reduced the quality of the
ieaf so that there was no economy in the practice. The average yield
for four years of tobacco fertilized with tobacco stems was 976 pounds
of wrappers per acre, as compared with a yield of 681 pounds for the
crop grown with stable manure, but the stable manure produced a
better quality of leaf than the tobacco stems. Taking into considera-
tion the results obtained with stable manure and cotton-seed meal the
author recommends supplementing an application of stable manure
i
1 Connecticut State Station Rpts., 1892, 1893, 1894, 1895, 1896, 1897.
19
with some quickly available form of nitrogen, such as cotton-seed
meal. 3
A study was also made of the effects of various forms of potash on
the quantity and quality of tobacco. The plats fertilized with some
form of carbonate of potash produced a smaller yield than the average
yield for all the potash plats, while the plats which received potash in
the form of sulphate yielded more than the average. Sulphate of
potash produced tobacco which had slightly heavier leaves, and which
did not hold fire quite so long as tobacco produced by the use of some
form of carbonate. In general the crops fertilized with pure carbonate
of potash, wood ashes, double carbonate of potash and magnesia, and
cotton-hull ashes were of better average quality than the crops fer-
tilized with high-grade sulphate of potash and double sulphate of
potash and magnesia, either with or without lime. The addition of
lime had little effect on the quality of the leaf.
IRRIGATION OF TOBACCO.
The effects of irrigation on the product of tobacco were studied by
the Wisconsin Station ' during two especially dry seasons. In 1893 the
crop was irrigated twice and the yield, as compared with the yield of
unirrigated land, showed an increase of 23 per cent in the weight of
the uncured crop, 33 per cent in the weight of the cured stalks, and 7
per cent in the area per pound of cured leaf. The weight of the
total crop of cured leaves from the irrigated and unirrigated plats was
practically the same, showing that the increase in the weight of the
green crop was almost entirely due to the increase in the weight of
the stalks. One hundred cured leaves of average size selected from
tobacco grown under irrigation weighed about 13 per cent more than
the same number of leaves similarly selected from the plants grown
without irrigation. |
In 1894 only one irrigation was given. The increase due to irriga-
tion in the weight of the green crop was 7.35 per cent, in the weight
of the cured leaves 6.96 per cent, and in the area per pound of cured
leaf 1.7 per cent. After the crop had been cured 800 sound leaves
were selected from the plants grown with and without irrigation
and weighed. The leaves from the irrigated plat weighed 2.92 per
cent more than those from the unirrigated plat. It was noticed that
the plants were more readily broken down by heavy winds on the
irrigated plat than on the other. A better yield of cured leaf was
obtained in 1894 with one irrigation than in the preceding year with
two irrigations. It was shown during the two seasons that irrigation
perceptibly increased the yield and produced a thinner leaf, as com-
‘Wisconsin Station Rpt., 1894.
20
pared with tobacco grown without irrigation, but that there was no
other noticeable difference in the quality of the leaf.
A practical experiment on a commercial scale has been started in
Florida in the irrigation of the Sumatra type of wrapper leaf. The
first crop is reported to be of the finest quality that has ever been
grown in the State, containing a larger proportion of first-class wrap-
pers. The experiments are being continued and extended. Next year
it is proposed by a single company to put 200 acres under the ditch.
It is not only necessary in this case to provide the water supply, but
the distance of planting, method of cultivation, and time and manner
of topping must all be controlled in reference to the variety of tobacco
planted and the grade it is proposed to produce—whether a wrapper
or a filler leaf.
In the same line the practice of shading tobacco in Florida may be
mentioned. This prevents the excessive evaporation from the plants
as well as from the soil, and has had a marked effect in improving the
quality of the wrapper leaf and in increasing the percentage of wrap-
per leaf in the crop.
An older method of irrigating in Florida, by the use of overhead
Sprays, was reported in Bulletin No. 13 of the Division of Soils. This
method is not believed to have been as economical or as successful as
the present method of subirrigation from wooden troughs laid in the
ground.
INFLUENCE OF TIME OF HARVESTING ON THE YIELD AND THICKNESS
OF THE LEAF.
Experiments were undertaken at the Wisconsin Station * in 1895
with a view to determining whether the tobacco leaf increased in size
and thickness and whether the loss in curing diminishes when the
plants are allowed to stand a considerable time after topping.
Tobacco plants were topped August 2 and 6 and the leaves were
picked at different times, varying from eighteen to thirty-two days
after topping. Upper leaves were selected as samples from which data
were determined. The results indicate that the thickness and dry mat-
ter of the leaf tended to increase up to thirty-two days after topping,
and the yield showed a tendency to increase in like manner. Cured
samples which had been harvested eighteen days after topping had a
weight of 459.2 grams and an area per pound of cured leaf of 47.81
square feet as compared with the weight of 577.55 grams and an area
per pound of cured leaf of 41.39 square feet for cured samples
harvested twenty-seven days after topping. There was no material
difference in the percentage of loss in curing between the various
samples.
1 Wisconsin Station Rept., 1895.
21
Practical growers in all of the tobacco districts have for years
experimented upon this subject and very marked results have been
attained in the production of an article suited to the market demands.
It is quite possible to vary the commercial grade and influence the
price considerably by harvesting the crop at different stages of ripe-
ness. This has been taken advantage of in many cases in catering to
many trade requirements. It is one of the methods by which the
quality of the tobacco can be sensibly controlled.
EFFECT OF PRIMING TOBACCO PLANTS.
Priming consists in removing the leaves of the tobacco plant as they
mature.
It was noticed in connection with curing experiments at the North
Carolina Station’ that priming had a marked effect on the growth
and chemical composition of the upper leaves. Removal of the lower
leaves caused an increased growth in the upper leaves and with it
an increase in percentage of nitrogenous matter and nicotine. The
quality of the product was thus somewhat lowered by priming, but
the gain in weight more than compensated for the loss in quality.
Priming the leaves from the stalk as they ripen is believed by many
practical tobacco growers to be the proper method of harvesting the
cigar and cigarette types, for in this way alone can the tobacco be
saved just at the proper stage of ripeness. Priming does not impair,
but improves, the quality. The increase in pounds is simply due to
the fact that the upper leaves are allowed to remain on the stalk until
they are fully developed and matured. The priming of tobacco is
more expensive than cutting the stalk, as more labor is required, but
the improvement in quality fully warrants this additional cost.
The method of priming is very generally used now with the bright
yellow leaf of Virginia and North Carolina, and with the Sumatra
type of wrapper leaf in Florida. It has the advantage that the leaves
are uniformly matured when they are hung in the barn, and the
finished crop is therefore of a more uniform character. In priming it
is usual to go over the crop three or four times, finally cutting tbe
stalk with the top leaves attached.
EXPERIMENTS IN TOPPING TOBACCO.
The Central Experimental Farm at Ottawa, Canada,’ conducted
experiments in topping tobacco plants in order to determine how the
time of topping and the number of leaves left on the plants affect the
yield. The plants were topped July 20 and 26 and August 2, and on
each date one plat was cut back to 9 leaves and another to 11 leaves per
1 North Carolina Station Bul. No. 90a.
* Canada Experimental Farm Report, 1897.
92
plant. Early topping caused the plants to throw out suckers freely,
but this tendency diminished as the topping was done later. It was _
found sufficient to remove the suckers from the later topped plants
-once, while from the plants topped on the two earlier dates they had
to be removed at two different times. The larger yields were obtained
from the latest topping and the greater number of leaves per plant.
The time for topping a tobacco plant is when the seed bud has well
put out. If the soil is rich and the tobacco has the proper distance
only the seed bud should be taken out; all leaves should be allowed to
grow. It is often necessary to remove the suckers three or four times
after topping.
The time and manner of topping has a great influence upon the
character of the leaf produced. As a rule the earlier a plant is topped
and the lower it is topped the heavier, richer, and darker-colored the
leaves become. ‘This is a decided advantage for some crops, but a
disadvantage to others. In the production of the finest quality of
Sumatra wrappers in Florida the practice has recently grown up of
topping very high, and, indeed, in wet seasons or on heavy soils, where
the plants are making a luxurious growth, the plant is allowed to go
to seed in order to keep the leaves as small and thin as possible.
YIELD OF TOBACCO.
The yield of tobacco, like that of other crops, is the product of all
the factors of growth and, as these are not constant, but vary con-
siderably with time and place, the yields vary at different times and
in different sections of the country. The results obtained at different
experiment stations in connection with experimental work are here
briefly noted:
At the North Louisiana Experiment Station’ at Calhoun in 1892
the average yields of bright leaf and cigar varieties on different exper-
imental plats varied from 712 to 1,280 pounds of cured leaf per acre,
respectively, on fertilized and unfertilized plots; in 1893” an acre of
bright tobacco yielded 592 pounds of cured leaf, and 11 varieties of
cigar tobacco, grown on fertilized red sandy soil, yielded on an aver-
age 1,046 pounds per acre, while an acre of land at Shreveport, La.,
under the management of the station, yielded at the rate of from
1,400 to 1,600 pounds of cured cigar leaf and from 1,600 to 1,800
pounds of bright leaf; in 1894° the average yields of cured leaf per
acre of cigar and bright leaf varieties in connection with soil, variety,
and fertilizer tests, ranged from 359 to 1,086 pounds per acre; and in
1895* the results of similar work varied from 505 to 788 pounds per
acre in the yield of cured tobacco of yellow leaf and cigar varieties.
1 Louisiana Stations Bul. No. 20, 2d ser. 3 Ibid. No. 33, 2d ser.
2 Ibid. No. 25, 2d ser. *Tbid. No. 41, 2d ser.
23
At the Alabama State Station’ in 1893, cigar varieties on upland
and bottom sandy soils ranged in yield from 439.4 to 1,505.4 pounds,
and plug tobaccos from 575.4 to 1,744.6 pounds of cured leaf per acre.
The North Carolina Station’ reports yields of cured leaf ranging
from 665.5 to 1,542.7 pounds per acre.
Long-Jeaf Gooch tobacco, grown in connection with fertilizer tests
at the Virginia Station in 1890,’ yielded 762 pounds of cured tobacco
on the check plat and 1,035 pounds per acre on the most productive
fertilized plat.
Plat experiments with fertilizers for tobacco at the Maryland Sta-
tion* in 1892 resulted in yields of cured tobacco per acre varying from
440 on the unfertilized to 820 pounds per acre on the fertilized plats.
At the Kentucky Station’ in 1895 White Burley yielded from 555 to
1,499 pounds of cured leaf per acre, and in 1896° the yields of experi-
mental plats varied from 500 to 1,295 pounds of cured leaf per acre.
In experiments carried on by the Massachusetts Hatch Station,‘ at
Hatfield, Agawam, and Westfield, Mass., for three successive years,
the yields of cured leaf varied from 1,379 to 1,648 pounds per acre.
The percentage of wrapper leaf in these crops ranged from 21.2 to
69.6 per cent.
In connection with the fertilizer experiments carried on for five
years in succession by the Connecticut State Station,* the yield for all
plats for the entire period averaged 1,685 pounds of assorted leaf per
acre. The average yields for the different years ranged from 1,569 to
1,876 pounds. The heaviest yield obtained from any one plat was at
the rate of 2.280 pounds peracre. The average yield of wrappers for
the five years was 60.7 per cent of the total yield, with a range from
47.2 to 66.2 per cent for the different seasons. On some plats as high
as 78 per cent of the product was suitable for wrappers.
Estimated yields, based on the results obtained on experimental
plats at the Wisconsin Station in 1893 and 1894,° varied from. 1,484 to
3,541.5 pounds of cured leaf per acre.
On small experimental plats at the Central Experimental Farm,
Ottawa, Canada,’® the rate of yield has been estimated in different
seasons from about 1,500 to 2,500 pounds of cured leaf per acre.
The question of the actual yield of tobacco is an important con-
sideration under certain circumstances, but is a matter of little interest
in other cases. In the cigar districts, particularly, the influence of
quality on the price is so great that the ac.ual-yield is hardly a matter
for consideration. Atthe same time other factors enter in, as the price
1 Alabama State Station Bul. No. 54. 6 Tbid. No. 66.
? North Carolina Station Bul. No. 89. * Massachusetts Hatch Station Bul. No. 47.
3 Virginia Station Bul. No. 12. * Connecticut State Station Rpt., 1897.
* Maryland Station Bul. No. 26. * Wisconsin Station Rpts., 1894 and 1895.
° Kentucky Station Bul. No. 63. 1° Canada Central Exptl. Farm Bul. No. 30.
24
of labor in the grading and sorting of the finer grades. It is often
more profitable to raise a large quantity of inferior leaf than to raise
a small weight per acre of a finer leaf which can not be economically
sorted. This question, therefore, depends to a very great extent upon
local conditions, and especially upon labor conditions.
DISEASES OF TOBACCO.
The diseases to which most attention has been given are those which
manifest themselves during the curing process and which are com-
monly known as stem rot and pole burn. ‘This latter disease is also
referred to as ‘‘ pole sweat” and ‘* house burn.” Both of these diseases
were observed and studied by the Connecticut State Station during
several seasons. As observed by this station,’ pole burn makes its
appearance as small dark spots on the surface of the leaf near the
veins and midrib, where moisture is most abundant. These spots rap
idly increase in size, soon becoming confluent, and within thirty-six to
forty-eight hours the whole leaf may be affected and the entire contents
of the curing barn destroyed. The tobacco changes in color from a
green yellow to a dark brown, or almost black, loses its fine texture,
and reaches such a stage of decay that the leaves are separated from
the stalk by their own weight. From investigations made at the sta-
tion and results obtained by other investigators of this same subject,
the author infers that the disease is due primarily to a fungous growth
which attacks the leaf on the surface and gives access to a bacterial
process of decay by disintegrating and partially destroying the leaf
tissue.
Cultures of the bacteria which caused this rapid decay of the leaf
were studied in the laboratory, and it was ascertained that moisture
and temperature have a marked effect on the activity of these organ-
isms. Decreasing the amount of moisture decreased their vitality,
and a temperature up to 70° F. or even 90° F. favored their develop-
ment, while temperatures. of over 100° or 110° and below 35° or 40°
temporarily or permanently checked their vitality. Attempts to inoc-
ulate thoroughly cured tobacco with the bacteria were unsuccessful.
The author concludes from his study that pole burn can be prevented
by a proper regulation of moisture and temperature.
In 1893,’ although conditions were most favorable for curing
tobacco, an experiment was conducted to test the effect of artificial
heat on the temperature and relative humidity of the air in a tightly-
closed barn filled with green tobacco. A number of observations were
made in each case and average results determined. The temperature.
of the outside atmosphere was 57° F. and the relative humidity 70°.
Inside the barn the temperature was 54° and the relative humidity 82°.
Opening the end doors and the lowest row of ventilators in fair weather
‘Connecticut State Station, Rept., 1891. 2 Ibid. 1893. _
ene a Muy to AD
a
SS ee
25
brought the temperature inside the barn, 6 feet above the floor, to within
one degree of the temperature of the air outside, and reduced the rela-
tive humidity from 91° to 86° within half an hour. For the test with
artificial heat the barn was tightly closed and fire started in two of the
four furnaces, thus using only one set of flues. One hour after start-
ing the fire the relative- humidity was 69° and the temperature 71.5° F.
6 feet above the barn floor. ‘‘ By using only half the available heat-
ing facilities for one hour, the relative humidity of the interior of the
barn at a height of 6 feet from the ground was reduced from 91° to
69°. * * * JInconclusion we are justified in considering that, under
the atmospheric conditions most favorable to the development of * pole
sweat,’ the temperature and moisture in the interior of a closed barn
can be so regulated by artificial heat as to reduce to a minimum
the liability of curing tobacco to damage from fungi or other like
organisms.”
No special experiments were made with stem rot, but the author
states' that this fungus disease which frequently affects the stems of
the plants in the last stage of curing seldom matures in the cured
stalks, owing to their dryness at this time. As a remedial measure it
is suggested that when the crop is cured all stems and refuse attacked
by stem rot be burned before the fungus has matured and the barn be
fumigated with sulphur immediately after curing a crop and again
before the harvesting of the next season’s crop. ‘‘If this be done
* * * the danger from stem rot would be largely decreased if not
entirely obviated.”
EXPERIMENTS IN CURING TOBACCO.
Experiments with different methods of curing tobacco have been
conducted by the experiment stations of a number of tobacco-growing
States. In a series of experiments made in Maryland and reported by
the Maryland Experiment Station” tobacco was air and flue cured ina
frame barn and flue cured ina log barn. Owing to more favorable
conditions of humidity, flue curing gave better results in the frame
barn than in the log barn. Results in general were favorable to flue
curing as compared with air curing.
At the North Carolina Station in 1891,’ the ordinary method of cut-
ting down the plant and curing it with the leaves on the stalk proved
less profitable than curing by the Snow process, in which the leaves are
cut from the stalk as they ripen and cured separately. By the ordi-
nary method 326 pounds of cured leaves were obtained from 2,114
pounds of fresh leaves and stalks, and by the Snow process 454 pounds
from 2,109 pounds of green plants. The net financial returns amounted
‘Connecticut State Station Rpt., 1891. ? Maryland Station Bul. No. 26.
3 North Carolina Station Buls. Nos. 86 and 90a.
26
to $32.89 for the stalk-cured, and $53.55 for the leaf-cured or Snow
process. The tobacco cured by the leaf process was better in quality
than the leaf cured on the stalks. This effect is ascribed to be due to
harvesting the leaves as they became mature, while by the stalk proc-
ess many of the lower leaves were overripe and the upper leaves still
green at the time of cutting. Handling the leaves on the stalks also
caused a greater loss than handling them separately. It was found
that the time and temperature required for curing leaves from differ-
ent parts of the plant varied according to their ripeness, and that for
this reason the leaf-curing proved the more desirable method, since the
leaves cured at one time were all of the same degree of maturity and
required like treatment to produce the best results in color, quality,
and general appearance. The author states that carefully regulating
the drying by artificial heat, as practiced in the Snow curing barn and
old style log barn, reduces the fermentative changes in curing to a
minimum. It is believed that in these experiments, owing to this fact,
practically the whole amount of glucose present in the leaves remained
unchanged in the cured product.
The record of temperature in leaf curing is given briefly as follows:
The temperature in the barn on August 18, at 9 a. m., was 90°; at 10
a.m. 95° On August 19, at.10'a. m., 100°; 1 asm 1052559" 20 soecmee
120°. August’ 20,510 “a.) me, 125°; 52 p.m. LS > Omori tres
August 21,3a.m., 140°; 6 a. m.,; 150°; 12 m., 120°, after whiehythe
temperature was allowed to fall rapidly and the next morning the
tobacco was taken out of the barn. In this process the leaves lost
81.44 per cent of the green weight.
The Pennsylvania Station’ found that on an average 72.70 per cent
of the weight of the whole plant was leaf, and that the cured leaf con-
stituted 15.80 per cent of the weight of the original leaf with stalk-
cured tobacco and 14.40 per cent with leaf-cured tobacco. The per-
centage of leaf tissue was also somewhat greater in the stalk-cured
product.
The Wisconsin Station’ made a series of investigations on the curing
of tobacco in 1894, and the results obtained were confirmed by the
repetition of the experiments the following season.’ It was found
that the loss of water in curing was about 71 per cent of the weight
of the green plant. The rate at which the water passed off increased
gradually from the time the leaves were well wilted until their color
was changing from yellow to brown. The water appeared to be elim-
inated by the leaves rather than extracted from them by drying. It
1s stated that the changes in the color of the leaf during the curing
process were not directly due to the loss of moisture, but .depended
largely upon the degree of ripeness, the riper the leaf the lighter the
1 Pennsylvania Station Rpt., 1894. 7 Wisconsin Station Rpt., 1894. * Ibid., 18965.
)
27
shade of brown when cured. From data obtained in this work the
author considers it warrantable to conclude that tobacco should be
cured in as moist an atmosphere as possible without incurring dam-
age from pole burn. Kentucky Station Rpt. 1895.
eS
33
BURNING QUALITY OF TOBACCO.
A comparison of the fire-holding capacity of a npmber of different
varieties and types of tobacco was made by the North Carolina Sta-
tion’ in 1895. Strips of tobacco leaves were pressed out flat, dried,
ignited, and the time noted during which they continued to hold fire.
Several parts of the same teaf and different leaves from the same lot
were tested in this way and the results averaged. The following table
shows the results of these tests:
Burning quality of tobacco.
. Glow, in seconds.
Variety or type. Where grown. = ae
Average. | Range.
UD TIES STEM EE eee fad U7 6 2) 22 ng Newework .ee fas 14 | 5-35
2. SS ee ee ee ee ee ees. Ci (Gyai Fr ie ae Peele 2 ee A ee cle 117 | (a)
LSS Sa Se ee eee eee CEC AC(G 6 Gureeae oee aeeeee Oe 8 | 525
“LS EES ie eh ee ee eee ee eee Oe eee eo en ees: 7 | 4-18
TEE Le 2 aaa al ee ee ee Massachusetts ....-....-.-.- 13 | 528
LSE SU ge a ae PRERREIBEE F-23258. tate S 11}; 715
Pen patel | Meath 2) ete ee eS Penvsylyanin. 22+ ee 175 | (Bb)
rani eee ea. Te. oe ee RS sa2 Connechcure: -.295 2.27. 16); 445
2 EPL ES ee ee iene eee eee North Carolina... ----.:--.=-- 5 4-6
Bright Wrapping Bs eee ae = ee ee ee Vara iaens oe ae ee 4| 28
RN ETE Lt TROT eo eon eee Eee OZe Asi 2es 2 oe: Picese Seo
ULE Pete 5 eee ee ee eee eee eee) een Ose 252 a eee ae 31 | 10-90
Memmhtteerse tyritte OLE 2 8 te eo ee eee Ce pines Sir yee, 2a ee 5) 38
fame pright mahorany wrapper. -.....--...=...:.-.::-|.-=-- diet" of) ose a ee 6| 48
| DED SEER ade ee ee eee ee ee ORI Re =e 5 Fe ee 24 8-50
LAT Eg UTED 0) et eg SS 2 ee ee epee ae te Wires oe oe 24, 14-50
CRS EST) a ee ee Mary danse ea Pee eee a 39 | 15-65
ibeee see ee ee eee a ee Se latipes ye Os near St 4| 26
PE IST ne Pr PS. oe Fe GPorrine 2! £82k Sa ee 4; 2R
en es en = oe a Re. Be eae fai EOS chr ig ae eee es See 6-;-*- 4-10
ow (DISTT ili ave Seen Oi Ge kT ae aie ee eee ATARI ne ee ee aoe x 6 4-10
2 teed 2 eel ee ese et td ee MaRSISSHDTIT. 502k ap eae 6 5-7
White Eaniay See wk ee Ee Oe ae Ces epee ee kets West Vireinia =). 42 2S 52.1 15-150
Sieh LES ie a ee 5 eee ee ee eee ee AS TTGISS 25. Seen «ee Se 12 4-30
WE LEED Ce ee Se eee eee Wd 013 Che rs eS, erin oe Sa 10 5-25
PERT RNR Se 2 eh Sa tae wk ee WENRESSEE’. Hes os EES 15 5440
Eee haweter (lent eure) 2... fe. North Garolmna = =~ 3S 5 3-7
ieee rapper (Silicate) io. ee ao es a ne GOs 3 eo. So poe D 4-7
Petiawamneiker Gent eure) oo ot eta Seales - UC ee) = aes Oe 8 413
Yellow smoker (stalk cure) -..........--- Se ee Pre Se See Cee ee ae ee 7 412
Yellow cutter fleaf a SERIE SS Peri eh: Seal Oohg Wages ecbaee i Ce = ae fe ee es 8 415
a Burned to end of strip.- 6b Burned 23 in. and put out.
A comparison of the chemical composition of the different samples
was made, and it was found that the tobacco having the best burning
quality contained a high percentage of ash constituents, and that a large
percentage of lime and potash in proper combination and an increased
percentage of cellulose were associated with good burning qualities.
In general, thin leaves with a delicate structure burned better than
coarse, heavy leaves. The results further indicate that albuminoids
seem to be injurious to the burning quality, while nicotine seems to be
an _ ee factor in this connection.
It ‘s generally accepted that tobacco containing a large amount of
chlorids has a low fire-holding capacity, and it has been found that an
abundance of potash counteracts the effects of chlorin to a certain extent.
1 North Carolina Station Bul. No. 122
13931—_No. 63——3
o4
This seems to have been verified in the sample of Pennsylvania seed
leaf from Pennsylvania, which ranked as one of the highest in fire-
holding capacity, although containing nearly 1 per cent of chlorin
which, however, was accompanied by a high percentage of potash and
lime. The sample of French Regie Snuff-leaf from Virginia had a
comparatively high percentage of chlorin, but the potash content was
relatively small and its burning qualities poor. The author concludes
from this observation that the effect of chlorin may be overcome to a
certain extent by the amount of potash present, but that very large
amounts would probably not be counterbalanced in this way. Of the
several ash constituents, potash and lime are considered most important
in promoting combustion.
TOBACCO STALKS AND STEMS AS FERTILIZERS.
Since the stalks of tobacco and the stems of the leaves constitute a
large part of the crop, which is usually not removed from the farm,
the amount of plant food they contain becomes an item of considerable
importance. Analyses of tobacco stems when cut and after curing
were made by the Connecticut State Station’ in 1891. From the data
obtained the plant food taken from the soil by the stalks while grow-
ing and returned to it when plowed under is determined. It was found
that the stalks on an acre of tobacco containing 8,000 plants weigh
about 9,500 pounds at the time of cutting, and 3,300 pounds when they
have been cured. The average results show that these stalks contain
32 pounds of nitrogen, 8 pounds of phosphoric acid, 49 pounds of pot-
ash, 3 pounds of soda, 13 pounds of lime, 5 pounds of magnesia, 5
pounds of sulphuric acid, and 6 pounds of chlorin. The amount of
nitrogen, phosphoric acid, and potash in the stalks was greater after
curing than at the time of cutting.
Anal ses of stalks of different varieties of tobacco made by the Vir-
ginia Station’ show that, on an average, the stalks of air-dried plants
contained 3.71 per cent of nitrogen, 0.646 per cent of phosphoric acid,
5.02 per cent of potash, and 2.22 per cent of lime. The stalk is con-
sidered as constituting a little less than one-fourth of the average plant.
The results of using tobacco stems as a fertilizer for tobacco at the
Connecticut State Station have been given under fertilizer experiments
(p.). Only one other test of this kind is reported. At the Ken- -
tucky Station,’ soil which had received an application of 4,000 pounds
of tobacco stems per acre yielded at the rate of 80.1 bushels of ear
corn and 6,270 pounds of fodder per acre as compared with a yield of
47.6 bushels of ear corn and 3,940 pounds of fodder on soil which had
received no fertilizer. Tobacco stems were the most efféctive ferti-
1 Connectictit State Station Report, 1892. * Virginia Station Bul. No. 14.
> Kentucky Station Bul. No. 17.
ee =
Nal i i ts ee oe De
5)
lizer in a series of fertilizer experiments with corn. It is stated, how-
ever, that it is not known whether the plats on which this test was made
had been fertilized alike prior to the time this experiment was under-
taken.
Below are given analyses of tobacco refuse as reported by several
experiment stations:
Plant food in tobacco refuse.
| Tobacco stems.
Tobacco dust.
Whole. | Ground.
Experiment stations. |
| Phos- | Phos- | a | Phos- |
ee a | phoric Potash. | See phoric |Potash. | Nitto | phorie Potash.
| Sen | ‘acid. Bere | acid. sen. | ‘acid. |
|
Per ct. | Per ct. | Per ct. | Per ct.| Per ct.| Per ct.| Per ct. | Per ct. | Per ct.
Connecticut State a......... 1.04 .56| 4.98| 2.74 .92| 10.08| 1.91 52 1.96
Massachusetts Hatchb......|.....--- See Presa OF | 2.28 32| 6.10] 2.08 42| 2.07
New Jersey ¢......-.....--:- 1.70} .68| 6.17| 1.98 | O76 bo. Te PT 32 1.17
pein yh tS alot FAP Gl es 1s 1 RDN oie (ae my (ee Sian | RRO [oe nioee eel ean pee”
Pennsylvaniae ............- 1.63 . 98 | 7.60 |
aStem analysis, Connecticut State Station Rpt. 1897, p.; dust analysis, Rpt. 1896.
b Massachusetts Hatch Station Bul. No. 48.
cStem analysis, New Jersey Stations Bul. 84, p.; dust analysis, Rpt. 1894.
d Kentucky Station Rpt. 1895.
e Pennsylvania Station Rpt, 1895.
NICOTINE IN TOBACCO.
The subject of nicotine in tobacco was investigated by the North
Carolina and Virginia stations. The Virginia station’ found that the
average percentage of nicotine in the air-dry substance of the leaf of
White Burley, Medley Pryor, and Yellow Oronoko was 3.46 per cent
when the plants were ready to be topped, 3.79 per cent at the time
of cutting, and 5.51 per cent when the leaf was cured. At the time of
topping the plants there was little difference in the nicotine content
of the leaf of the three varieties, while at harvest time the difference
was more marked, the nicotine content in the leaf being 3.21 per cent
for White Burley, 4.32 for Medley Pryor, and 3.83 for Yellow Oronoko.
In different grades of manufacturing tobacco, the nicotine content
ranged from 1.54 per cent in high grade, bright, flue-cured tobacco to
5.56 per cent in English shipping. Among these grades the light
tobacco was found to contain the lowest and the dark tobacco the high-
est percentage of nicotine.
Results obtained at the North Carolina Station” indicated that the
nicotine, when the plant is mature, is found mainly in the leaves.
Analyses of typical tobaccos grown in the United States show that in
the samples tested the nicotine in the water free substance of the leaf
ranged from 1.45 per cent in Pennsylvania Seed Leaf to 5.53 per cent
in German Spinning Leaf, grown in Tennessee. The author associ-
ates a coarse, rank growth with a comparatively large amount of nico-
1 Virginia Station Bul. 52. ? North Carolina Station Bul. 122
36
tine, and states that the percentage of nicotine is materially increased
by the use of large quantities of nitrogenous fertilizers. Nicotine was
not found to be an important factor in affecting the burning quality of
tobacco. Itis stated that the nicotine content of tobacco leaf is materi-
ally reduced in the process of fermentation, but no figures are given
to show to what extent this reduction takes place.
The Connecticut State Station’ found that the nicotine comical was
reduced by fermentation from 2.5 to 1.62 per cent in upper leaves,
from .77 to .44 per cent in short seconds, and from 1.25 to 1.05 per
cent in first-wrapper leaves.
ARSENIC IN SPRAYED TOBACCO.
The presence of arsenic in tobacco sprayed with arsenites was stud-
ied by the Kentucky Station to determine whether or not enough
arsenic was left on the leaves of the plant to injuriously affect the
health of the consumer.
In 1894” tobacco was sprayed with Paris green and London purple
solution. It is estimated that individual plants sprayed once with
Paris green received 1.0329 grains of arsenic, those sprayed twice,
2.00456 grains, and plants sprayed with London purple, 1.8957 grains.
The chemical examination of the sprayed tobacco showed that whether
the original amount of arsenate was large or small only a compara-
tively small portion remained on the plant at the time of harvesting.
The largest amount of arsenic obtained in these investigations was
0.329 grain per pound of tobacco, or only about 4 per cent of the
arsenic originally applied. The plants sprayed but once retained
about 1.8 per cent of the amount left by spraying, and those sprayed
with London purple about 3.2 per cent.
In 1895° the inquiry into this subject was continued in connection
with another experiment. Plants were sprayed 1 to 8 times, from
July 3 to August 22, with a solution of one-fourth pound of Paris green
to 40 gallons of water, and the amounts of arsenic which they retained
at cutting time were determined. The amount of Paris green applied
varied ih the number of applications, ranging from 0.1 to 0.8739
ounce per row. Plants sprayed once or twice showed only a trace of
arsenic, and since some arsenic was found in tobacco which had not
been sprayed it is concluded that practically all the arsenic left by
spraying was gone when the plants were cut on September 4. A num-
ber of plants which had been sprayed only once, but were sprayed
again on September 5 and cut as soon as they were dry, contained
0.0139 per cent of arsenic, evidently obtained from the last spraying.
The tobacco which was sprayed 8 times contained 0.0093 per cent of
‘ Connecticut State Station Report 1892. * Kentucky Station Bul. No. 53.
STibid. Nos 63:
37
arsenious oxid. These results are considered as showing the extent
to which arsenic is removed when the plants are not harvested until
some time has elapsed after spraying. It is further pointed out that
applications of Paris green shortly before harvesting should be
avoided.
** While the question * * * isstill open to discussion
it may be confidently asserted that the amount of arsenic contained in
the small fraction of a pound which a man would consume in a day,
even if taken at one dose instead of being distributed throughout
twelve hours, would produce no harmful effect.”
%* % *
INSECTS AFFECTING TOBACCO.
Most of the common insect pests which are troublesome to tobacco
culture have been studied by the stations. The Kentucky Station has
given attention to the prevention of depredations by the tobacco worm,
the bud worm, the flea beetle, the spined tobacco bug, and grasshop-
pers. The spined tobacco bug,’ which causes the plants to wilt sud-
denly and thus checks their growth, was noticed to attack tobacco
plants grown next to a pasture, whence the bugs are believed to have
come. As a remedy, removing the bugs from the wilted plants is sug-
gested, and as a preventive measure, not to allow weeds, especially
thistles and mullein, which are very attractive to these insects, to grow
near tobacco fields is recommended.
It was also observed that when corn becomes inedible to the corn
worm this insect attacks tobacco grown in adjoining fields. To obviate
this trouble it is advised not to grow early corn near tobacco.
It was further noticed that grasshoppers” sometimes do damage to
tobacco when grass or other close-growing crops upon which they have
fed are removed. The use of Paris green was found to destroy them,
but not before some damage had been done. The author suggests that
all unnecessary growth likely to harbor these pests near the fields
should be kept down.
Several specimens of bud worms were studied.* They left the
tobacco plants and went into the ground August 10, and the adult
moths came out about two weeks later. It was observed that the speci-
mens under observation gnawed holes in the young leaves at the center
of the plant before they were unfolded. A thorough application of
Paris green is considered a suitable remedy.
For the flea beetle, dusting with pyrethrum or spraying with a solu-
tion of this powder is regarded as preferable to the use of lime water,
which deteriorates the quality of the leaves by the deposition of lime.
For the prevention of damage by the tobacco worm,‘ the ordinary
practice of putting sirup poisoned with cobalt, arsenic, or strychnine
—
' Kentucky Station Bul. No.66. Ibid. No. 63. * Ibid. No.49. * Ibid. No. 40.
38
into the blossoms of jimpson weeds to poison the moths is worthy
of recommendation. It is advised that the late brood of worms which
feeds almost exclusively on tomato plants be desveoyed by the use of
poisons or kerosene emulsion.
_ Young tobacco worms! were observed on tobacco plants early in
July, August, and September. Of these different broods the one
appearing in early August is regarded as the most injurious, but the
brood appearing in July is not without its bad effects. The station
concludes from its experience that the best remedial measure is to
spray with a solution of 1 pound of Paris green in 120 to 160 gallons
of water, making the application as soon as the young worms appear.
The author states that spraying more than three times is unnecessary
when the times of making the application are well chosen.
In 1896” the tobacco worm was very abundant, and further observa-
tions were made by the station entomologist. The average persistence
after treatment of the young worms was 4.43 days and of the large
worms 12.33 days. The average duration of all lots of worms treated
with a solution of 1 pound of Paris green in 40 gallons of water was
four days, and when a mixture of 1 pound of Paris green in 150 gallons
of water was used, 14.17 days. The weaker solutions were found
sufficiently strong for the destruction of the young worms, but in des-
troying the large worms the strong solution proved the most effective.
The Maryland Station ® found that a poisoned mash, consisting of 50
pounds of wheat bran, 2 quarts of molasses, 1 pound of paris green
and water, dropped from three to five days before planting, near the
places where the plants are to be set, prevented the cutworms from
injuring tobacco fields.
In testing tobacco seed the Florida Station found that apparent
damping-off of the seedlings was due to nematode attacks.* The seed-
lings were grown in sand which had been kept air dry for ten months
prior to sowing the seed. The injury was produced by the worms
from the outside at any point on the plant. When attacked the points
of irritation became enlarged, the development of the seedling was
arrested, and the final result was the destruction of the young plant.
To prevent the trouble, the author advised growing tobacco seed on
uninfested soils, and states that old land is apt to be infested, and that
this may be ascertained only by observation of the trouble in pre-
viously grown crops.
TOBACCO AS AN INSECTICIDE.
As an insecticide tobacco has a wide application and its use for this.
purpose, it is safe to say, has been tested by every experiment station
Kentucky Station Bul. No. 63. 3 Maryland Station Bul. No. 65.
*Ibid. No. 66. 4 Florida Station Bul. No. 24.
2 heat age BoB ae tee 5" krerul
ipa gl a tt
ee a aS Tre
d9
in the country. iHonels Bee
SO ee
a
4]
of carbohydrates, especially starch and glucose. The soil of this
region contains a very small percentage of available mineral matter
and seems to be especially adapted to the production of yellow tobacco.
Below are given some of the results of soil analyses made by differ-
ent stations in connection with their investigations on tobacco:
Results of tobacco soil analyses.
Soils from—
North
Carolina. c| Florida. d + Cuba. e
| Colorado. a Virginia. }
}
| |
| Per cent. Per cent. Per cent. Per cent. | Per cent.
pT EFT ed a Sot. ee ee oe a RS ee 2.78 0.577 0, 312 | 1.000 14. 200
CESELTYVS ETA: Pree eee eee ee 4.53 2. 982 | F1.510 | . 950 12. 300
punGlaine miner. oo. 148 coe: Ae Soc PDE TAP ie ei ER Se 95. 642 97. 000 32.300
leapegrte teu 2s eS en ee eral . 019 . 016 . 053 1.600
ce TED SD ea eel ee 2 ee -41 .019 . 161 .018 . 160
i DET Erte 2 Se aes ie ee eae Aer . 02 20908 >. =-2=-. 26 . 028 - 320
UDINE Saas oh oe Se eee ee eee ee .70 . 076 . 240 . 130 7.600
rE Ny ee ee ae eee oe .85 . 036 . 047 . 008 .170
LPriv pc Re os Oe ee eee ee 3 at 1.550 . 326 790 29. 400
NASI MEE he Sere ee ee er an eS 4.29 “% 1 O38) (S325. 55 22- eee
Sn ee eek Cn Oe Ie © ea ee ee 71 | 038 . 109 030 084
a Colorado Station Bul. No. 10. d Florida Station Bul. No. 19.
b Virginia Station Bul. No. 12. é Florida Station Bul. No. 19.
e North Carolina Station Bul. No. 90a. J Reported as volatile matter.
The Division of Soils has made quite an extensive study of the prin-
cipal tobacco soils of the United States and has issued several bulletins
thereon.’ It will be unnecessary to summarize the results here as the
publications can readily be obtained.
CONCLUSIONS.
Having thus reviewed the work of the experiment stations, it will
be well to outline clearly the general purpose of tobacco investigations
in order to understand fully the most important lines to be developed.
One of the questions most frequently asked is the possibility of
extending the culture of tobacco to new areas. While tobacco is con-
fined as at present to comparatively small areas, and while it continues
to be one of the **money crops” of the farm, there will naturally bea
widespread desire to extend the cultivation to new localities. This is
one of the most difficult things to advise about, as so little is known
about the influence of climate and other conditions upon the quality of
the leaf.
The tobacco industry is so highly specialized that a nondescript
tobacco is no longer needed and brings only a very low price. The
qualities of the tobacco leaf, including the size, shape, and thickness
of the leaf, the flavor and aroma, the grain and general style. are so
delicate, so easily influenced, and as yet so difficult to control that it
is impossible to say beforehand what qualities a leaf would have raised
‘Bul. No. 5, Texture of Some Important Soil Formations. Bul. No. 11, Tobacco
Soils of the United States. Farmers’ Bul. No. 83, Tobacco Soils.
42
under new and untried conditions. Such work must, therefore, con-
tinue to be largely a matter of trial and blind experimentation. Some
characteristics can be foretold, of course, from the general conditions
and the character of other crops. Much will depend, of course, upon
the judgment and knowledge of the producer. Then, again, it is diffi-
cult or impossible in most cases, even after the tobacco is grown, to
judge of the quality until after the long and careful treatment required
in the curing and fermentation of the leaf to develop and fix the style
of the leaf and to develop the aroma. Furthermore, this manipula-
tion can be done successfully only with a large quantity—at least 2,000
pounds—and after the most improved methods.
A majority of the exper iment stations are not favorably ipoated for
any very valuable economic work along the lines of tobacco investiga-
tions. Such work can best be done by stations located in the tobacco
areas. It would seem desirable, therefore, that two or three of the
stations which are suitably located in different tobacco areas should
take up the subject in a comprehensive and thorough manner. It
would be well to have at least one station in the manufacturing and
export districts and one in the cigar-tobacco districts devoting their
main energies to this one subject in the same manner as other stations
are specializing in sugar production, stock feeding, dairying, and
other lines.
The main purpose of this work should be the improvement of the
leaf to adapt it better to the present market demands. It will there-
fore be well to look into the requirements of the market, see where
our tobaccos can be improved, and then decide upon ihe lines of
investigation.
Tobacco is divided commercially into four classes: (1) Domestic
cigar; (2) cigarette; (8) domestic manufacturing (chewing, smoking,
and snuff); (4) export.
The domestic cigar is made up of wrapper, binder, and filler. The
most important of these from a commercial standpoint is the wrapper.
A leaf to be used as a wrapper to suit the present market demands
must have quality and style, that is, it must appear well when wrapped
on the cigar, it must be uniform in color, free from holes or tears, it
must be very elastic, so that it can be wrapped smoothly and tightly
on the cigar, it must have the proper color, it should be of a certain
size and shape to avoid waste, and it should be as free as possible from
all aroma or flavor which could in any way mask the desirable quali-
ties of the filler. Although the thin wrapper used at the present time
constitutes only about one-fifteenth or one-twentieth part of the weight
of the cigar, it may have a very marked influence upon the cigar, very
much more influence, apparently, on account of being wrapped on the
outside than if the same leaf were put inside as part of the filler. The
reason for this is not clearly apparent, but is probably connected with
43
the combustion products and the access of air. Certain it is that the
flavor and aroma of the wrapper is always fully considered in blending
tobaeccos for the high-priced cigars.
The filler tobacco, on the other hand, must have a rich aroma and a
desirable flavor. The best Cuban tobacco has a characteristic aromatic
flavor which it has been impossible to obtain in any section of this
country, but which there is every reason to believe can be developed
by selection and breeding in certain districts in this country.
Mr. Floyd has brought out so clearly the requirements of the cigar-
leaf trade and has shown the steps taken and the great success obtained
by the Florida growers in meeting these requirements that _a short
abstract from Report No. 62 of this Department is here given:
All are fairly well agreed that for wrapper purposes the Sumatra furnishes the ideal
leaf, while for fillers, where quality is needed, the island of Cuba produces the best
leaf. Asthese tobaccos are thestandard of quality and style sought after, it should
be the aim of each tobacco-growing section to produce as nearly as possible a tobacco
that will take the place of these imported goods, both in appearance and quality.
The first essential in all cases is that the tobacco, whether wrapper or filler, burn
smoothly and freely. Next, there must be quality, the taste must be pleasant, not
rank and strong, nor too mild. The wrapper must have style. That means that a
wrapper, to be acceptable to the manufacturer of the High-grade cigars, must be light
in color, rich in grain, thin in texture, small in vein and stem, very elastic, and of
good burning quality. The most desirable sizes are 16 and 18 inch leaves, as from
leaves of these sizes the manufacturer will get four wrappers from each leaf and have
very little waste, which is always quite an important item to consider.
The first essential is that the wrapper leaf be grown; the next that it be properly
cured, assorted, and classified. A manufacturer will never pay a high price fora bale
of tobacco unless he can calculate just what it will yield him, and this he can only
do when itis well and carefully selected. The tobacco should be uniform in size,
color, and texture, as when a bale of tobacco contains a variety of colors, sizes, and
textures the buyer is left to guess its value and the price will necessarily be low.
For filler purposes Cuban tobacco makes the standard. The size of the leaf should
be from 12 to 14 inches, not longer, and it should not be very dark and heavy, as
many seem to think, but of medium body, and of a rich brown color, burning
smoothly and freely. All manufacturers agree that it is never well to make a cigar
from only one kind of tobacco—that is, a cigar should not be made in which the
entire filler is Ohio, Pennsylvania, or Florida tobacco, but tobacco should be taken
from these yarious sections and a combination tried until ‘tobaccos are found that
blend well. When this result is secured, the combination is adopted, and a new
brand of cigar is put on the market. This is especially true of the Cuban tobacco.
Many of the manufacturers would gladly reduce the amount of imported Cuban
tobacco if they could be supplied with a domestic tobacco that would blend well
with it.
For the past ten years Florida has done much to show what could and should be
done. Finding that the trade could not be forced into taking whatever might be
produced, it was determined te grow as nearly as possible a tobacco similar both in
appearance and quality to that grown on the islands of Sumatra and Cuba. To do
this the best seed obtainable was secured from these islands, and, as far as practica-
ble, their methods of cultivation, harvesting, fermenting, and manipulation were
employed. How well these efforts have succeeded may be judged from the fact that
Florida fillers, when well cured and baled, bring to-day as high as 45 cents per
+o
44
pound, while wrappers bring from 50 cents to $2 per pound, according to style and
quality.
This applies to the Cuban variety. So far as the production of the Sumatra type
of tobacco in Florida is concerned, there is equal assurance of success. Unques-
tionably bales of that type of tobacco have been grown and packed so that the best
experts could not distinguish from the imported goods, and some of this, grown
under shade, has been sold for $4 per pound. Of course, these bales contain tobacco
that has been selected with great care, each leaf being perfect. Two pounds of such
tobacco would wrap 1,000 cigars, all ‘‘first,’? and equal to those wrapped with
imported goods. This shows that when we offer to the trade the proper goods it is
willing to pay for them. We have much yet to learn, as the percentage of this finer
grade of wrapper has been very small compared with the quantity grown, thus caus-
ing the selection and classification to be very expensive, as it requires the assorting
of a large quantity in order to obtain a very small percentage of desirable wrapper
leaf. However, as before stated, we have met with sufficient success to warrant the
belief that in the near future we will produce a leaf that will take the place of the
imported Sumatra.
In order to improve the tobacco and adapt it to the trade demands there were
many questions to be settled. First of all, what seed should be used. To settle this
question seed was obtained and tried from every part of the country. This point,
however, was soon determined, and now there are only two varieties grown in the
State—Sumatra and Cuban—the Sumatra giving the style required for the wrapper
and the Cuban giving the filler qualities nearest the requirements of the trade. As
each of these tobaccos possess the quality and style needed, the kind of soil best °
suited to each was the next point to be settled; then the proper fertilizer, the quan-
tity necessary, and the proper cultivation had to be found out by numerous experi-
ments. At first it was thought that but little fertilizer of any kind should be used.
The tobacco was set out early, given a distance in the drill of about 24 inches, and
topped low; that is, not more than 12 or 14 leaves were allowed to each stalk. The
result was that the plants produced large, coarse, undesirable leaves. The next step
was to give the tobacco less distance in the drill; 18 inches were tried. The result
was better, but not satisfactory. From time to time changes were made until now
the plant is given 14 inches, the fertilizer is doubled, and the tobacco is topped
higher, allowing at least 16 leaves to each stalk. The result is that the leaves are of
the desirable size and finer in quality and appearance.
For a long time the cultivation was continued until the time of harvesting, but
this was decidedly wrong. The writer has seen fields of tobacco plowed that were
ripe and ready to be harvested, and-in consequence the tobacco turned green and
started a new growth. This generally increases the yield, but almost totally destroys.
the quality of the tobacco. At present the cultivation stops as soon as the plants are
topped.
When the Sumatra seed was first introduced into Florida, the land selected, the
amount of fertilizers used, and the methods of cultivation and harvesting employed
were the same as those practiced in growing the Cuban variety. With this treatment
Sumatra proved to be an absolute failure; many abandoned the seed, while others
continued to experiment. It was soon found that the soil had to be exceedingly
rich, the growth quick; that low topping was ruinous; and that each stalk should
have from 24 to 30 leaves, according to the strength of the soil. When the land was
exceedingly rich it was found best not to top at all, but to allow the plants to go to
bloom. Then the leaves would be of desirable size, thin and smooth; whereas if*
topped the leaves would curl and thicken. This tobacco is also crowded into the
drill, the plants being given only from 12 to 14 inches. The growth is rapid; the
top leaves soon serve as a shade for the middle and lower leaves, and the results have
45
been most gratifying. New land proved to be more desirable for this variety of
tobacco, and it was noticed that when trees were left standing in the field the plants
shaded by trees were far superior to the plants not so shaded. From this idea of
building artificial shade had its birth. It was also found that the plants should not
be cut in the usual way, but the leaves primed ee just as they ripen, and at a very
early stage of ripeness.
These experiments, while conducted by practical men for their own
commercial advantage, have been truly scientific and may well serve
as an example for scientific work along economic lines under our
experiment stations.
Just such work as has been done in Florida in the development from
he ‘‘Old Florida” leaf to the present style of Sumatra wrapper needs
to be done in the improvement of the wrapper leaf of the Connecticut
Valley. In the first place the Connecticut leaf is too large to be
economically used for wrapping cigars. The tip of the leaf has a
good grain and good style, but only one Wrapper can be obtained from
each side of the leaf near the tip which is suitable to go on a good
cigar. The remainder of the leaf can be used only on medium. and
low-priced cigars, and not even on. them when the veins are too large
and the surface smooth and glossy and without grain or style. Both
the Havana Seed and Broad-leaf have too much taste and aroma.
These qualities are so strong that they may altogether mask the desir-
able qualities of the filler leaf. With some tobaccos they blend very
well, but on the whole it is not desirable to have a wrapper of this
kind. The Havana Seed-leaf in particular has a peculiar ‘‘seedy”
flavor which is very characteristic and not at all agreeable to many
smokers. The leaf is large, averaging about 26 inches in length. The
veins are large, while the lower part of the leaf is so glossy that there
is much waste which can not be used in any way in this country.
There is no question but that the proper line of experimentation in
regard to this tobacco is to depart radically from the present type and,
as Mr. Floyd says, try to produce as nearly as possible in all essential
particulars the Sumatra type of wrapper leaf. Much may be done by
following the steps taken by the Florida growers in changing the
methods of planting, cultivating, and fermentation, but much will yet
remain, probably, to be worked out by the plant physiologist in the
selection and breeding for certain qualities.
The Pennsylvania filler brings from 4 to 8 cents per pound; the
Cuban-grown filler pays a duty of 35 cents per pound and sells for
from $1 to $1.50 per pound. It would seem that the proper steps to
take here are clearly shown. The matter of the yield per acre is rela-
tively unimportant, the effect of fertilizers is comparatively small,
while the crop sells for so little. The great object to be attained is to
make a radical departure from the present type and try to approach
more nearly the Cuban type of filler with the rich, aromatic aroma
46
and desirable flavor that is characteristic of the better grades of Cuban
tobacco. This work also will involve radical departures from the pres-
ent methods of cultivation and of fermentation, but even with the best
that can be done in this line it is probable that much will yet remain to
be done by the plant physiologist in the improvement, by selection and
breeding, of the aroma.
So far as present experience goes, it would appear that the inyesti-
gations in Connecticut should be with the idea of producing desirable
wrapper leaf; in Pennsylvania and Ohio the conditions seem to be
peculiarly adapted to the production of a desirable filler; in Florida,
wrapper leaf alone should be considered, while so far the tobacco dis-
tricts of Texas have given evidence that the conditions are best adapted
to the production of a rich filler leaf.
The problems connected with the cigar tobacco industry are very
marked and sharply defined in the preceding paragraphs. The cigar
tobaccos of this country do not come up to the present requirements of
the cigar trade. We have very satisfactory standards in the Sumatra
tobacco for the cigar wrappers and in the Cuban tobacco for cigar
fillers.
In the matter of the manufacturing and export types, the lines of
investigation are not so clear nor so well defined. The cigarette
tobacco of Virginia, North and South Carolina, and East Tennessee
are admirably adapted to their purpose. They are themselves the
standard for this particular class of leaf. They are not only adapted
to domestic use for cigaréttes and plug wrappers, but they are exported
in increasing quantities to many foreign countries. The average price
of the bright yellow and the mahogany leaves are lower than they were
afew years ago. The fine, bright wrapper leaf sells for from 25 to 40
cents per pound and the mahogany wrappers for 25 cents per pound.
Fancy leaves still sell for from 60 cents to $1 per pound. A specimen
of 10 pounds of fancy, bright tobacco was recently purchased by a
gentleman in the warehouse at Raleigh, for which he paid $1 per
pound, the tobacco to be used for the tobacco exhibit of the Paris
Exposition. This tobacco was really a very fine specimen, and the
price paid was unquestionably the true commercial value of the leaf.
The low price of the inferior grades is due to the fact that there is so
much really inferior bright and mahogany tobacco placed upon the
market. ‘The effort on the part of the experiment stations should be
to investigate the cause of this and to raise the standard of quality of
the average crop. The very marked improvement in the manipulation
and production of this cigarette tobacco in recent years leaves no
reason to doubt but that results can be obtained in generally improved
methods for the improvement of the average crop of bright and
mahogany tobaccos grown in this country.
47
Burley leaf and the various export tobaccos seem well adapted to the
purpose for which they are now used. There is no need of a radical
change, as in the case of the cigar tobaccos, but there is need of a gen-
eral improvement of the average crop. In the Burley tobacco, for
example, the lugs and two grades of tobacco inferior to this forma
large proportion of the crop, and bring low prices. The object should
be to obtain more of the better grades of leaf from the stalk. The
same thing is true in regard to the export tobaccos. The French Csells
for about 30or4centsper pound. Thisappears to be satisfactory to the
French Government for a certain class of consumers. It should not
be satisfactory to our farmers to produce such a low grade of leaf.
The Austrian A brings from 15 to 16 cents per pound, while Great
Britain and Australia take tobaccos which bring from 20 to 30 cents
per pound.
To a certain extent the grading is done by the growers—that is, if the
leaf gives promise of being adapted to the English market it is harvested
green or underripe and is heavily smoked, as these are requisites of
the English market for certain classes of tobacco. If it is inclined
to be light and trashy it is gathered overripe for the French trade.
As a rule, however, the tobacco is graded by the packers and dealers,
who sort it out in strict accordance with the character and quality of
the leaf. If they assign a sample to the French C it is because it is of
poor quality and is not adapted to the Australian or English markets.
Asa general rule the high-priced tobaccos are manufactured in this
country for domestic use, and the lower-priced goods are sent abroad.
Still, however, more and more of our high-priced tobaccos are being
sent abroad.
In addition to these broad and important economic lines of investi-
gation, there are many problems connected with the chemical compo-
sition of the leaf, the chemical substances produced in the leaf, the
relation of nicotine to the flavor and aroma, the changes in the curing
and fermentation, the influence of soil, of seed, of climatic conditions,
of cultivation and of handling, which are of great importance as aids
in changing the style or character of the leaf to conform to the
market demands.
The chief features of the cigar wrapper are the style of the leaf, the
size, uniformity of color, and the absence of any pronounced flavor or
aroma. The chief features of a filler leaf for cigars are flavor and
aroma. In the fine, bright and mahogany tobaccos it is mainly the color
which determines the price. In the manufacturing and export types
the quality, size, and shape of the leaf and color determine the market
and the use to which they are suited.
These are broad economic lines suggested for investigations, which
it is very desirable that some of the stations should take up. The
48
question of the proper method of preparing the seed bed, the question ~
of the effect of fertilizers, the burn, etc., should all be subordinated —
to the one great problem of presenting the leaf required by the cigar
manufacturers. These questions will naturally be considered in work-
ing out the broad problems, but they should not be given the first place
and be considered complete in themselves.
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