spectacular. The Bureau of the Census remarked that 

 the rapid expansion of Bright tobacco production was 

 "one of the most abnormal developments in agriculture 

 the world has ever known." Within a few decades, flue- 

 cured tobacco became the leading type of the world. 



V 



irginia becomes a maiiiifactiiriiig center 



In the colonial period the only manufacturing of to- 

 bacco in Virginia had been the occasional and limited 

 processing of leaves into twist on a few farms. After the 

 American Revolution, a few snuff factories were estab- 

 lished in the state. Fairly early in the national period, a 

 number of manufacturers went into the production of 

 plug and twist and the industry grew. 



By 1840 Virginia was producing 41 percent of the 

 nation's tobacco goods, and 56 percent by 1860. At that 

 time Richmond had over 50 tobacco factories in com- 

 petition with those at Petersburg and Lynchburg. The 

 latter city was so heavily engaged in selling leaf and 

 manufacturing it that it was known as "Tobacco City." 



In the middle 1870's the Richmond firm of Allen & 

 Ginter, sensing a trend, went into the production of 

 cigarettes. They were the Virginia pioneers in the large- 

 scale manufacture of cigarettes, an article then fairly 

 new in the States. The firm rapidly acquired a high 

 reputation for its cigarettes, advertised as containing 

 "the brightest, most delicate flavored and highest cost 

 Gold Leaf Tobacco grown in Virginia." 



Ingenious advertising methods added to the fame of 

 Virginia's first cigarette manufacturer. They included 



27 



