TOBACCO. 193 



The Virginia leaf wanted in South Africa is ovate in shape, 

 carrying the width well to the tip, and having a fine midrib. 

 The leaf should not be less than 20 inches long before curing, 

 and should have a smooth surface, as a smooth surface 

 is correlated with a fine silky texture in the cured product. 

 For cigarettes, the leaf should be fine in texture, thin, with 

 fine venation, and light in body. For pipe purposes it should 

 be heavier in texture, longer, and possess greater body. While 

 greatly influenced by soil and climate, these are characteristic 

 in varying degrees in the different strains. 



Turkish leaf should be small and fine, with good body and 

 a smooth, silky texture. The leaves should be gummy and of 

 good body, which includes a sufficient quantity of starches and 

 oils, substances which give the fermented leaf its peculiar 

 sweetness and aroma. Large, coarse leaves are very un- 

 desirable in this type of tobacco. The leaves should be true to 

 type, and should possess a light greenish colour when 

 approaching maturity. The leaves should be numerous, not 

 pendent in habit, but rather erect or at right angles to the 

 stalk. 



Plants showing early and uniform maturity of the leaves 

 should be chosen, as plants of this nature facilitate harvesting 

 and, moreover, the product is more uniform, especially when 

 the whole plant is harvested for air-curing. 



The colour of the growing leaf is correlated with the cured 

 colour. Greenish -yellow leaves at maturity gfive a bright colour 

 when cured, but dark and oily leaves usually assume a dark or 

 uneven colour after curing. If, therefore, tobacco of a bright 

 yellow colour is wanted, plants should be selected for seed that 

 yellow well in the field; if pipe tobacco is wanted, then select 

 dark green plants which show^ only yellow flecks when ripe 

 and which have a heavy texture. 



About twenty Virginia plants furnish one pound of seed, 

 while sixty Turkish plants are required for the same amount 

 of seed. 



Cross-pollination is prevented by the use of Manilla bags, 

 which are placed over the inflorescence just before the flowers 

 open. Before doing so, all the top leaves — leaving 12 to 18 

 per plant — should be removed, as well as all suckers. 

 Only three to four terminal flower branches should be left. 

 In Turkish tobacco, remove only the suckers and those leaves 

 that interfere with bagging. Usually, when seventy or eighty 

 capsules have formed, the remainder of the flowers are pruned 

 away, and the bag may then be removed if not menaced by 



