TOBACCO. 187 



handling, the tobacco grown in various countries should differ 

 as to characteristics and use. In practice this is found to be 

 true. Cuba is generally acknowledged as producing the finest 

 cigar-filler tobacco, whilst Sumatra leaf is usually regarded as 

 the best for cigar wrapper purposes. For cigarette tobacco of 

 the Turkish type the Levant has long been noted, and Virginia, 

 North and South Carolina, are known the world over for the 

 fine quality of their flue-cured bright tobacco. As each country 

 produces tobacco with different characteristics, it is difficult to 

 compare South African tobacco with tobacco grown in other 

 parts of the world purely on the basis of quality, which is a 

 variable term. 



It may be well, however, to give the principal 

 characteristics of the several types of tobacco produced in 

 South Africa. 



The Virginian tobacco produced in South Africa varies so 

 much in its natural characteristics that the leaf from each 

 large producing area must be considered separately. 



In the Transvaal the three largest tobacco-growing centres 

 are the Magaliesberg area and the Potchefstroom and Piet 

 Ketief districts. The Magaliesberg area includes the Kusten- 

 burg district and parts of Pretoria, Krugersdorp, and Marico 

 districts. The tobacco produced in this area is used principally 

 for the manufacture of pipe tobacco, though an increasing 

 amount is being used for cigarettes. The leaf used for pipe 

 purposes varies from eighteen to thirty inches in length, and 

 is rather narrow-. In colour it varies from deep cherry to dark 

 brown and greenish -brown. It is rather heavy in body, has a 

 medium nicotine content, lacks in elasticity, and has large 

 veins and midribs. The manufactured product burns very 

 freely, has a mild flavour, and a rather pungent acrid aroma. 

 The pipe tobacco manufactured from Magaliesberg leaf might 

 be described as a mild smoke, and is more generally used in 

 South Africa than any other pipe tobacco. The cigarette leaf 

 produced in this area varies in colour from bright yellow to 

 light red, is rather light in body, is inclined to be papery in 

 texture, and is lacking slightly in flavour and aroma. The 

 cigarettes manufactured from this leaf burn fairly well, and are 

 distinct in flavour from the usual Virginia cigarette. 



The leaf produced in the Potchefstroom District is similar 

 to the dark tobacco of the Magaliesberg area, but is as a rule 

 darker, coarser, and heavier in body and texture. The tobacco 

 from this District is used principally for pipe and roll tobacco, 

 and a small quantity is used for snuff. 



