192 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



Mr. Hart. — Has there been any locality yet found where 

 they raise the same quality? 



Mr. Allen. — There is no locality upon this continent where 

 they raise so fine a leaf as they do in Connecticut. I do not 

 wish to say any thing against Massachusetts. The Connecti- 

 cut seed-leaf raised in Massachusetts is sold in the market as 

 the Connecticut seed-leaf, and they raise some very good to- 

 bacco there; but I am told that it will not compare with Con- 

 necticut tobacco. It has been carried to Ohio and New York, 

 but they can not produce that peculiar fineness of leaf that 

 we can pro'duce in the Counecticut valley. There is something 

 peculiar about that. It is so upon the island of Cuba. There 

 are only two or three localities there where they raise the very 

 finest kind of tobacco. 



Mr. Gould. — Is not the soil around Northampton geologic- 

 ally identical with that of the Connecticut valley? 



Mr. Allex. I think it is very similar. 



Mr. Gould. — Is it not more owing to tfre fact that the Con- 

 necticut raisers are more accustomed to the manipulations re- 

 quired for seeding and the planting? 



Mr. Allen. — I suppose you have hit the point. If there is 

 any gentleman here who contemplates going into the raising 

 of tobacco, I wish to say to him that it is a very nice business. 

 I do not know any thing that requires such skill, such constant 

 attention, such perfect acquaintance with the business, from 

 the time you prepare the seed to the time when you put the 

 tobacco into the box, as tobacco raising; and if a man is not 

 thoroughly acquainted with the business, if he is going into it 

 to the extent of two or three acres, he had better send for 

 some man wlio does understand it, or he will be likely to lose 

 all his labor, for one single false step will ruin his crop. If 

 you cut down your tobacco at the wrong time, tlie wrong hour 

 of the day, you will lose the whole of it; it will be burnt up, 

 and not worth a straw. Or, if you take it down a week before 

 it is cured, you will lose your tobacco. The stems are the in- 

 dex. The leaf may be perfectly cured, and all but two or 

 three inches of the stem be full of moisture. If you take it 

 down in that state you will have to hang it back again, or lose 



