CULTIVATION OF TOBACCO. 7 



REQUIREMENTS OF THE TOBACCO MANUFACTURER. 



In the manufacture of high-grade cigars certain essentials are neces- 

 sary. The tobacco must burn smoothly and freely, with a pleasant taste 

 not rank and strong, nor too mild. When the taste is pleasant, not sharp 

 and bitter, the aroma will invariably be good. The cigar that possesses the 

 above qualities will meet with a ready sale. The wrapper of the cigar, as 

 distinguished from the filler, must be light in color, rich in grain, thin in 

 texture, small in vein and stem, very elastic, and of good burning quality. 

 It should stretch and cover well, have little aroma and appear well on the 

 cigar. The most desirable sizes are 40 and 45 centimeter leaves, for from 

 such leaves the manufacturer can obtain four cigar wrappers from each 

 leaf, with but little waste. After such a suitable wrapper leaf is grown, it 

 must be properly cured, assorted and classified. The manufacturer can 

 never afford to pay a high price for a bale of tobacco, unless he can cal- 

 culate just how many suitable leaves it will contain. This is one reason 

 why Sumatra tobacco commands such a high value, for so carefully is the 

 grading and assorting done that the manufacture knows how many cigars 

 each package of tobacco will wrap, and that the color will be uniform. 

 Wrapper tobacco should be uniform in size, color, and texture; then the 

 buyer knows what he is getting and is willing to pay a good price. 



For cigar fillers the leaves should be somewhat shorter, of medium 

 body, have a rich brown color and burn smoothly and freely. The quality 

 of the filler determines the character of the cigar; hence the filler must 

 possess the desirable aroma that distinguishes a good cigar. 



Philippine tobacco has some of the above properties and has earned 

 its reputation, on account of its agreeable aroma, fine veins and notable 

 elasticity. This applies only to the better quality of tobacco grown on 

 the alluvial lands of the Cagayan River in northern Luzon. The tobacco 

 grown in the Visayan Islands is coarser, uneven in color, and of greater 

 strength. From the provinces along the west coast of northern Luzon 

 the tobacco is of heavy body, and that grown near the sea has but little 

 combustibility. Its ragged, broken character also lowers its market 

 value. The tobacco grown in Nueva Ecija was formerly considered fine, 

 but the color was a decided yellow, and the taste somewhat bitter. 



PREPARATION OF SEED BED. 



No step in the cultivation of tobacco is more important than proper 

 care in the preparation and sowing of the seed beds. This work can not 

 be neglected without running the risk of a partial or total failure of the 

 crop. To make good seed beds is a laborious task and requires good 

 judgment in the selection of the location, soil and in the preparation of 

 the land. To have plenty of good, strong, healthy plants is the surest 

 foundation for a good crop of tobacco, provided they are from seed true 



