13 



chocolate colored lands and the richest low _2:ronnds. The- 

 selection of soil will depend upon the color of leaf in de- 

 mand, as the soil as well as the fertilizers determine to 

 some extent the color and texture of the leaf. 



The eftect produced by planting tobacco too near the sea 

 is injury to the leaf, which is apt to be thick and unlit for 

 a cigar wrapper. In some countries, however, notably 

 Cuba, the leaf grown near salt water is equal in color and 

 texture to any grown in the interior. 



Generally the plant obtains its finest form and quality of 

 leaf on lands bordering the largest rivers. This is true of 

 the tobacco lands of Connecticut, Kentucky, Virginia and 

 North Carolina, as well as of those in the islands of Cuba 

 and San Domingo; but some of the finest tobacco grown 

 in the United States is grown in countries some distance 

 from large rivers. 



AVhen possible, select the kind of soil for tobacco that 

 will produce the color and texture desired. For Connec- 

 ticut seed leaf a light moist loam is the best soil. For the 

 bright tobaccos, such as are raised in Virginia, North Car- 

 olina and Maryland, the soil should be light and friable, 

 or what is commonly called a sandy loam, not too ilat, but 

 of a rolling, undulating surface not liable to overflow in ex- 

 cessive rains. New cleared in these last named States is 

 considered better than long cultivated soils. In Cuba the 

 planters select the red soil as the best for fine tobacco. 

 Some planters, however, prefer a soil mixed of one-fourth 

 sand and one-half to three-fourths of decayed vegetable 

 matter. 



Both the Cuban and American planters concur in as- 

 serting that a large quantity of silicious matter in soils is 

 essential for the growth of good cigar tobacco. The rich 

 clay loams on the banks of the James River in Virginia do 

 not grow the highest price tobacco, while the less fertile 

 silicious soils of other sections will produce tobacco of su- 



