588 HORTICULTURE, FORESTRY, FLORICULTURE 



Description of Varieties. It is impossible to recommend the 

 best variety of tobacco for growing, that being a matter which can 

 only be determined by careful experiments. If the soil and climatic 

 conditions are known, a study of the description of the varieties will 

 enable the grower to select one which will be adapted most nearly to 

 his conditions. In the following list the best varieties for the grow- 

 ers are grouped with reference to their uses and the character of soil 

 which produces the best yield of each variety, as determined by past 

 experience. 



CIGAR-WRAPPER TOBACCOS. 



Sumatra. Used wholly for the production of high-grade cigar 

 wrappers and not considered of any value for fillers. In the United 

 States this variety is grown under slat or cloth shade. Adapted to 

 sandy loam soil. In western Florida, where it is grown extensively, 

 the surface soil is underlaid by a red clay subsoil. The leaves are 

 very thin, of fine texture, with small veins, and vary from 12 to 20 

 inches in length and 8 to 16 inches in width. The plants bear from 

 16 to 30 leaves, with comparatively long internodes. The leaves have 

 an erect habit of growth. Under favorable conditions for growth 

 the plants reach a height of from 7 to 9 feet. This variety pro- 

 duces the best grade of domestic cigar wrappers. Grown in western 

 Florida, in southern Georgia, and in the Connecticut Valley. 



Connecticut Havana. Used for cigar wrappers and binders, and 

 the top leaves are frequently used for fillers in the inferior grades of 

 domestic cigars. Adapted to light alluvial, sandy soils, containing a 

 small percentage of clay, and as a rule the less the clay the higher 

 the yield of fine cigar wrappers. "Where this variety is grown for 

 fillers a rich clay yielding a heavy crop of leaf is probably the most 

 desirable type of soil. The leaves are thin, of fine texture and deli- 

 cate flavor, set very close together on the stalk, with very short in- 

 ternodes, and have a very erect habit of growth. The plants bear 

 from 10 to 15 leaves, varying in average length from 20 to 32 inches 

 and in average width of from 10 to 15 inches. This variety was se- 

 cured by continued seed selection from crops grown from seed im- 

 ported from Cuba, and is probably a cross between these Cuban 

 plants and the native Broadleaf of the Connecticut Valley. Grown 

 in the Connecticut Valley, Wisconsin (mainly for binders), Ohio, 

 Pennsylvania, and New York. One of the best general-purpose 

 tobaccos. 



Connecticut Broadleaf. Formerly known and generally recog- 

 nized in the trade as Seedleaf. Used for cigar wrappers and binders 

 and the lower grades, to a limited extent, for blending with other 

 tobaccos for cigar fillers. Adapted to sandy loam soil. This variety 

 makes an exceedingly rapid growth. The leaves are very broad, 

 sweet tasting, thin, elastic, silky, and with small veins. The leaves 

 are set very close together on the plant, having a very characteristic 

 drooping habit of growth, and vary in length from 24 to 36 inches 

 and in width from 12 to 22 inches. The size of leaf varies greatly in 

 different sections and with the different strains which have been de- 

 veloped by individual growers. The seed of this variety has been 



