98 TOBACCO PRODUCTION IN THE UNITED STATES. 



exceedingly durable upon level ureas. Some of the clayey soils are refractory, and require to be broken in the fall, 

 so that they may be ameliorated by the winter freezing. The bluff loam, owing to its large content of sandy 

 material, as well as the deep, black, sandy soils that prevail in the bottoms, is always in fine tilth when well 

 broken, and seldom compacts so closely as to diminish the vigor of vegetable life, and owing to its powdery 

 condition it readily supplies to the plant the food with which it is so freely charged. By far the largest proportion 

 of the tobacco crop of the state is grown upon this loam and upon alluviums derived, in part or in whole, from 

 its erosion. 



Very little land is turned out as old fields and abandoned in Missouri, but a few spots here and there may be 

 seen on abrupt declivities, where the surface soil has been removed by heavy rainfalls. 



VARIETIES GROWN IN THE HEAVY TOBACCO DISTRICT. 



CHARITON AND CARROLL COUNTIES. Previous to 1880 Yellow, Silky, and Blue Pryors were grown more 

 extensively iu these counties than any others. A small percentage of Shoestring and One-sncker was planted, 

 and some Orinoco, Little Vick, and Frederick. The Shoestring variety is less liable to be broken by heavy winds, 

 and is therefore preferred for prairie lands. Shipping leaf is mostly made of the Blue Pryor, manufacturing fillers 

 of the Yellow and Silky Pryors, and stemming tobacco of the Orinoco and Frederick, the two latter having very 

 wide leaves. The White Burley was extensively planted in 1880. 



HOWARD COUNTY. Orinoco is largely planted on white-oak hill lands, Blue Pryor on bottom lands, the White 

 Burley on clover lands and on lands freshly cleared, and the Shoestring on open prairie. 



RANDOLPH COUNTY. All the varieties which are grown in Chariton county, with the addition of Medley 

 Pryor ami Red Burley, are produced in this county. The last-named variety is used for making cutters, and is 

 grown for the most part on freshly-cleared white-oak lands. The Medley Pryor makes a good shipping leaf, and 

 finds its most congenial soil on creek bottoms and on old manured lots. 



The varieties grown in the remaining counties of the district do not difl'er from those already given. 



VARIETIES GROWN IN MANUFACTURING DISTRICT. 



CALLAWAY COUNTY. Golden Pemberton, Tomahawk, Silky Pryor, and White Burley are most generally 

 cultivated in this country. The first resembles both the Orinoco and the Yellow Pryor, and is supposed to be a 

 sub- variety from cross-fertilization of the two varieties. Its habit of growth is like the Orinoco, but it cures to 

 a bright-yellow color much more easily. It is sweeter and heavier than the Yellow Pryor, and colors like it, but 

 in general appearance, weight of leaf, and sweetness of flavor it is like the Orinoco. It is a great favorite 

 among growers for making yellow wrappers and smokers. The Tomahawk resembles the Golden Pembertou, 

 but has a quicker growth. It is the sweetest and most easily cnred to a bright yellow of any variety yet produced 

 in the state, but its leaf is too short to make the highest-priced wrappers. The Silky Pryor is thought to 

 equal the Tomahawk in its growing and curing qualities, having sufficient length of leaf, but lacking sweetness 

 of flavor. The White Burley, up to 1880, had not been tested here sufficiently to justify an opinion as to its 

 merits. A few who occupy farms on the river and creek bottoms plant the Orinoco, Brittle-stem, and Blue 

 Pryor, and make a good quality of shipping leaf. The first three varieties mentioned are held iu high repute by 

 manufacturers, and are grown upon a light sandy soil with a yellow-clay subsoil. If planted upon the more fertile 

 black soils they approximate the shipping varieties in general coarseness of appearance, but without the richness 

 or size of the shipping. leaf. Only the white-oak ridge lands of the county supply soils well adapted to the growth 

 of the yellow tobacco. The cigar varieties, when tried, failed in quality, and they are not planted to any extent. 



PIKE COUNTY. A variety called Yellow Orinoco is grown in this county in addition to the kinds already 

 mentioned as growing in Callaway county. This is said to have a long, large leaf, and varies very much in color 

 and in quality upon different soils. The variety known as the Golden Pemberton, already described as growing 

 in Callaway county, when grown upon the soils of Pike county has a thin, light leaf, curing with a considerable 

 variation in color, and is unsatisfactory when employed for manufacturing purposes. In this county the yellow 

 Orinoco is preferred because of its richness, sweetness, and delicacy of flavor. Here, as in Callaway county, the 

 finest tobacco, and that which commands the highest price, is grown on white-oak ridges, while that grown on elm 

 and hickory laud is coarse iu structure and strong to the taste. 



LINCOLN COUNTY. Two kinds of Orinoco are grown ; one suited for making heavy shipping tobacco, and the 

 other, doubtless the Yellow Orinoco, suitable for manufacturing purposes. The first is planted on the elm and 

 hickory lauds, and the last on white-oak lands. The White Burley does not succeed well except on rich river and 

 creek bottoms, and the Yellow Pryor, which is grown to some extent, is light and trashy. 



All the other counties iu the district raise the same varieties, some farmers preferring one and some another, 

 according to the soils and the purposes for which the tobacco is grown. 



Of the counties included iu the manufacturing district Callaway, Pike, Osage, and Franklin attempt to grow 



692 



