8 PRESENT STATUS OF TOBACCO INDUSTRY. 



BURLEY TOBACCO. 



The ]aro;e area embraced in north-central Kentucky and a strip of 

 territory bordering on the Ohio River in Oliio and Inthana, together 

 with a small area in the southwestern part of West Virginia, produces 

 the bulk of Burley tobacco, used largely for manufacturing but also 

 for export. It has thus far reached its liighest commercial develop- 

 ment in limited areas in Kentucky and southern Oliio. The soil is 

 of limestone origin and very fertile. These fine bluegrass soils are 

 much more valuable for general farming than those on wliich the 

 heavy sliipping types are grown. As would be expected, the average 

 yield of tobacco to the acre on these soils is considerably above that 

 on lands producing dark export tobacco. Little or no artificial heat 

 is used in curing this type. 



DARK MANUFACTURING TOBACCO. 



In the section of Kentucky and Tennessee lying between the western 

 export and the Burley districts and in a few counties of Virginia 

 immeiUately north of the fire-cured belt, types of dark manufacturing 

 leaf, cured without the use of fires, are extensively produced. In 

 the northern portion of the Kentucky area, known as the Green River 

 district, the conditions governing the production of this tobacco are 

 quite similar to those in the dark export section. The southern 

 portion, known as the upper Cumberland (Ustrict, grows principally 

 the so-called "one-sucker" variety. The yield in this district is 

 somewhat less than that of the Green River district. The Virginia 

 area produces the so-called sun-cured tobacco much prized for the 

 manufacture of chewing plug, because of its fine flavor. The average 

 yield is 700 to 900 pounds to the acre. 



BRIGHT FLUE-CURED TOBACCO. 



Extending from the lower edge of the dark tobacco belt of Virginia 

 into northern and eastern North Carolina and eastern South Carolina 

 is a large territory producing the so-called 3^ellow tobacco, which is 

 cured entirely with artificial heat introduced into the curing barn 

 through a system of flues. This product is prized especially for 

 manufacturmg purposes, though considerable quantities are also 

 exported. The flue-cured tobacco industry has played a conspicuous 

 part in the development of a large portion of the Piedmont section of 

 North Carolina and southern Virginia. It is noteworthy that in tliis 

 section, now spoken of as the " old belt ' ' of the bright tobacco industry, 

 the finest quality of leaf is produced on light soils not well adaj^ted 

 to general farming. Here again, however, as in the case of Burley 

 tobacco, the rapid extension of the industry into eastern North and 

 South Carohna, comprising the so-called "new belt," has brought 

 about a gradual lowering of prices, and the average profits to tiie 



[Cii-. 48] 



