SCIENCE IN ITS APPLICATION. 103 



est influence upon the usefulness and excellence of all 

 varieties of tobacco. . . . Thus far it has been 

 regarded as a purely chemical process ; but it has always 

 seemed to me more probably a fermentation similar to 

 the lactic, butyric and acetic acid fermentations, which 

 are caused by bacteria. ... In all sweated tobacco 

 thus far examined, it is worthy of note that bacteria are 

 present in large numbers, but in small variety. At 

 most, only two or three species occur, belonging espe- 

 cially to the Bacteria proper, though sometimes to the 

 Micrococci. Tobacco of the following sorts was tested: 

 Havana, St. Domingo, Kentucky, Brazil, Turkish, 

 Grecian, Russian, Pfalz, Alsace-Lorraine, Breisgau 

 and Uckermark. Pure cultures of the bacteria upon 

 these sorts were prepared. When tobacco of another 

 sort than that from which the bacteria were taken, was 

 inoculated by the pure culture of the latter, the tobacco 

 thus inoculated took on the flavor and odor of the to- 

 bacco from which the bacteria were derived. 



"In view of these facts, the sweating process as- 

 sumes more importance than it has thus far held. 

 Heretofore, the aim in Germany has been to improve 

 the tobacco by better culture and by the introduction of 

 improved varieties ; the latter soon deteriorate, however, 

 in this climate, especially since the right kind of fer- 

 ments are not present in the sweat. Our tobacco alwavs 

 suffers a sort of wild fermentation. But it is now pos- 

 sible to introduce the better ferments into our own 

 tobacco during the sweat. Every experiment 1 have 

 made has given positive results. So surprising have 

 been the changes in Pfalz tobacco, that excellent judges 

 of domestic sorts have declared the tobacco thus sweated 

 to be a foreign product. " 



Unfortunately, Suchsland has never carried further 

 the work thus interestingly outlined. Nevertheless, a 

 firm in Berlin, Hermann Giesecke, offers for sale pure 



