6o2 



BOTANY OF CROP PLANTS 



thrown down and remade a number of times, until the 

 leaves are ready for the market. During the fermentation 

 the leaf undergoes a number of changes such as a decrease in 

 nicotin, an increase in alkaline reaction, in ammonia, and 

 nitrate, a loss of water and sugar, and a change in the texture, 

 color and flavor. It is not known positively whether fer- 

 mentation is a result of oxidation by free oxygen of the air, 

 or of bacterial activity, or is due to the action of enzymes. 



The Tobacco Industry. — From colonial days the tobacco 

 industry has been an important one in this country. It is 

 interesting to note that tobacco was made legal tender in 

 1732 in Maryland, where a pound was i penny, and where it 

 was used for the "payment of all debts, including customs, 

 dues, salaries of State officers and ministers of the gospel." 

 In 1777 the tax levy for the county and city of Baltimore was 

 172 pounds of tobacco per poll. 



Virginia and Maryland were long the only tobacco-pro- 

 ducing States. The industry has now spread to other States, 

 and the production in 191 5 is shown in the following table : 



Tobacco: Acreage, Production, and Total Farm Value, 

 by'States, 1915 



Kentucky 



North Carolina. 



Virginia 



Ohio 



Tennessee 



Pennsylvania. . . 

 South Carolina. . 



Wisconsin 



Connecticut 



Maryland 



All other States 

 United States... 



Farm valu 

 Dec. I, 

 dollars 



440,000 



320,000 



192,500 



93,700 



92,900 



31,400 



65,000 



41,000 



22,200 



22,000 



47,700 



1,368,400 



356,400,000 



198,400,000 



144,375,000 



84,330,000 



69,675,000 



42,390,000 



37,700,000 



36,900,000 



29,907,000 



16,280,000 



44,030,000 



1,060,387,000 



23,799,000 



22,221,000 



13,571,000 



7,590,000 



4,990,000 



3,900,000 



2,639,000 



2,214,000 



3,095,000 



1,384,000 



12,638,000 



96,041,000 



