Germany has nearly 40,000 acres under 
tobacco cultivation in Rhenish Bavaria, Baden, 
Hesse, and Alsace-Lorraine. The annual pro- 
duction is about 50 to 70 million lbs.; and in 
addition nearly 3 times that much is imported. 
German home grown leaf is medium to large in 
size, of fair body, heavy and with coarse veins. 
It is used for cigar filler and pipe, but is not 
suited for cigar wrappers.’ (See the chapter on 
cigars. ) 
French tobacco is raised from Virginia seed. 
It is dark, coarse and heavy and is suitable for 
plug and snuff making only. 
Russia is the largest European producer. 
Russian tobacco leaf is very large in size and 
like the French is coarse, dark and heavy and 
is only fit for plug and snuff making. There is 
a lighter kind grown from Turkish seed in 
South Russia which is fit for cigarettes. 
Italy has made several attempts to cultivate 
good tobacco, and several different types are 
produced. A dark heavy leaf is grown from 
Virginia seed, and a type from Kentucky seed 
is also produced. These types are suitable to 
the dark, heavy fertile soils of Middle and 
North Italy. In the lighter sandy soil of the 
south, the varieties grown are raised from 
Turkish seed and are similar in appearance and 
quality to the genuine Turkish tobacco. 
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