190 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Jan., 



developed normally, and produced a desirable type of tobacco. 

 The seed from some of these plants was sowed, as well as the 

 seed from a few of the diseased plants which were not wholly 

 destroyed. The seed from the resistant plants produced healthy 

 and vigorous plants in 1904, which were set out in the field that 

 grew the diseased plants the previous season. This crop was 

 fully resistant to the disease, and produced a uniform type of 

 tobacco. The seed saved from the diseased plants produced 

 weak seedlings, which, when set out in the field, grew slowly, 

 and finally the leaves began to turn yellow and the entire plants 

 died before they had reached one-half of their full development. 

 This clear and decisive case of resistance in tobacco is a good 

 foundation for the belief that resistant types may be developed 

 which will be immune to the attack of many of the fungous 

 diseases common to tobacco. 



NEW AND IMPROVED HYBRID TYPES. 



One of the most promising fields for the production of im- 

 proved strains of tobacco is the crossing of the native ac- 

 climated varieties with the most valuable imported kinds of 

 tobacco. In the Havana seed and broad leaf varieties there is 

 a considerable portion of the leaves not adapted to wrapper pur- 

 poses, but the large yield is such as to produce profitable crops 

 in favorable seasons. In 1903 the writer made crosses of the 

 Havana seed and broad leaf varieties with Cuban and Sumatra 

 tobaccos. The Havana seed and Sumatra cross produced a 

 type somewhat shorter than the Havana seed leaf, but with 

 very round and broad leaves and very fine veins. The tex- 

 ture of the leaf was even from tip to base, so that practically 

 all portions could be used for wrappers. The broad leaf and 

 Cuban cross produced leaves which were very round, with 

 fine veins, of desirable texture from tip to base, and on the 

 whole a great improvement over the broad leaf tobacco. As 

 in the case of the Havana and Sumatra cross, this hybrid de- 

 veloped thin elastic leaves, in which the greater portion could 

 be used for wrapper purposes. 



The object of these crosses was to secure types of tobacco 

 adapted to the purposes and market for which the Havana seed 

 and broad leaf varieties were produced, of improved quality, 

 so that a greater portion of the leaves could be used for wrap- 

 pers. From the character of the hybrids thus far secured, it 



