CULTIVATION. 35 



Blue Stalk, the Brittle Stem, tlie Big Orinoco, the Little 

 Orinoco, and half-a-dozen others, each having, or supposed 

 to have, some characteristic distinguishing it from all 

 the others. But the Brittle Stem and the Orinocos were 

 the varieties mostly cultivated, the former for its early 

 maturity, the latter for its comparative heaviness. There 

 are several varieties, also, in this vicinity, such as the 

 Brittle Stem, the Graham Tobacco, and the Cuban, but 

 the names convey little certain information, as the same 

 varieties bear different names in different localities. 

 But some varieties are evidently to be preferred to 

 others one noted for early maturity, all things else 

 equal, is preferable to another that ripens late. One 

 distinguished for fineness of texture, all things else equal, 

 is better than another of coarser fibre, &c. Upon the 

 whole, the surest and most profitable variety is that 

 which ripens earliest, and yields the largest number of 

 pounds, cured, to a given number of hills planted." 



In the opinion of Perry Hull, a grower in Litchfield 

 county, Connecticut, " the variety best adapted to our 

 purpose is that known in this State as the Bull Tongue* 

 The leaf is neither too long nor too short ; the length 

 and width being in such good proportion that manu- 

 facturers considered there is less waste than there is to a 

 very long narrow leaf, or a very broad short leaf. It 

 yields well, and ripens at least one week earlier than- 

 many of the broader varieties. Almost any of the seed- 

 leaf varieties will do well ; but never patronize any of the 

 humbugs sent from the Patent Office, under the name of 

 Graham tobacco, Maryland broad leaf, &c. They are a 

 Southern tobacco, and when grown upon that soil, make 



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