tobacco cultivation. In 1890, South Carolina ranked 

 19th in production of tobacco. By the turn of the 

 century she ranked sixth among 42 tobacco pro- 

 ducing states in the country. 



Xhe piedmont yields turkisli tobacco 



Turkish tobacco, a special aromatic type, is used 

 in the manufacture of cigarettes. Blended with 

 other types, Turkish helps to provide the distinct- 

 ive flavor of the rich American cigarette. 



In 1939, Duke University at Durham, North 

 Carolina, began experiments to see if the south- 

 eastern states could grow Turkish tobacco. With 

 the beginning of World War II, it became more 

 difficult to import good Turkish tobacco from 

 Turkey, Greece, Bulgaria and Soviet Russia. As 

 the experiments were intensified, they proved 

 successful, and South Carolinians found the north- 

 western. Piedmont section of the state ideal for 

 the growth of Turkish or aromatic tobacco. Some 

 additional amounts of it were grown on the coastal 

 plains. 



Planting of Turkish in the American southeast 

 was largely experimental until the late 1940' s 

 and early 1950' s. In 1947, for example, aromatic 

 was cultivated in six South Carolina counties on 

 only 20.5 acres. Farmers produced about 25,500 

 pounds that brought more than $19,000. By 1955, 

 the growth of aromatic spread to 18 counties. It 

 was planted on about 200 acres which produced 

 nearly 150,000 pounds valued at $106,500 to the 

 farmers. 



Since then, however, overseas sources regained 

 preference, and virtually no Turkish tobacco is 

 grown in South Carolina today. 



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