52 



The Journal of Heredity 



LEAVES OF SUMATRA TOBACCO— ONE OF THE PARENTS OF ROUND TIP 



Sumatra and Cuba are the two most famous regions producing tobacco for cigar wrappers. 

 Sumatra tobacco, while grown in the Connecticut valley, docs not compete commercially with the 

 other varieties. It, however, possesses some most desired and promising qualities, and was used 

 as one of the parents of Round Tip. The illustration shows bottom, middle and top leaves from a 

 Sumatra plant. (Fig. 1.) 



any other place of equal area on the 

 globe. 



FOUR DISTINCT V.\RIKTIES OF TOBACCO 

 IN THIS DISTRICT 



The Connecticut valley confines its 

 attention to three markedly different 

 types knfAvn as Cuban, Havana seed 

 and Broadleaf. A fourth type, Suma- 

 tra, hiLs Ijeen tried coiumercially at \a- 

 rious times, but has not been able to 

 compete witli the otiier varieties. It 

 must be considered in our discussion, 

 however, for it has certain ciualities 

 not possessed by the others. 



I'oiir tobaccos then form the basis 

 of the nicotinous wealth of this littlC 

 district. I'nfortunately, like most 

 mundajie objects, each has its defects. 

 The .Sumatra wrapin-r leaf, though \'ery 

 popular with the manufacturers in this 

 country, is small, thin and tasteless. 

 It requires an expensive cloth-shaded 

 field to obtain the moistur econstancy 

 needed for prf)per development, and 

 gives a comparatively low yield after 



all th s trouble has been taken n ts 

 behalf The \ar et\' known as Cuban s 

 somewhat similar to Sumatra and must 

 also be grown under shade. Its some- 

 what larger, thicker, stronger and bet- 

 ter flavored leaf makes it more desirable 

 than Sumatra, but the relatively low 

 yield and expensi\'e equipment results 

 in a much smaller net cash return to the 

 farmer than he ought to ha\e. 



Sumatra and Cuban a\erage about 

 twenty leaves each; Havana seed and 

 Broadleaf, which are grown without 

 shade-cloth, have one or two leaves 

 less. The last two are similar to each 

 other. Just as Sumatra and Cuban 

 form one group of tall and relati\el>- 

 small leafed plants, Havana seetl and 

 Broadleaf form a second group of 

 short jilants ha\ing large coarse-grained 

 leaves. The Broadleaf blade is lance- 

 ovate, and drooping, and is thus not 

 well fitted for economical wrapper cut- 

 ting. On the other hand, the large 

 leaves (reaching ^A inches) when not 

 too thick and coarse, have the finest 



