374: PERSIAN TOBACCO. 



empire, and grows almost as large as most American varieties. 

 Chinese tobacco is usually light in color, of a thin, silky text- 

 ure, and mixed with Turkey tobacco, is a considerable feature 

 in the export trade of that country. The Chinese cultivate 

 the plant like the Japanese, and give it as much care and 

 attention as they do the tea plant. The leaves are gathered 

 when ripe, and are dried and well-assorted before baling. 

 The Chinese planter often raises large fields of the plants, 

 and employs many hands to tend and cultivate them. "We 

 give a cut of a tobacco field and the planter looking at the 

 field and noting the progress of the laborers. 



In Persia tobacco is cultivated near Shiraz, which gives 

 name to the variety. The soil is very fertile and richly 

 cultivated. Not only does the tobacco plant flourish finely, 

 but all kinds of vegetables grow to perfection. The Persians 

 cultivate the plant principally for their own use. It is a fine* 

 smoking tobacco, and when cured properly is said to be equal 

 to Latakia. Their mode of curing is unlike that adopted by 

 any other cultivators of the weed but is very successful, and 

 is no doubt the proper method of preparing the leaves for 

 use. Their mode of pressing in large cakes is unlike that of 



TOBACCO FIELD IN PERSIA. 



any other growers but doubtless adds to the aromatic quality 

 of the leaf which makes it so popular in the East. 



The tobacco field is trenched so as to retain water, while 



