6o2 BOTAN'V OF CROP PLANTS 



thrown down and remade a number of times, until the 

 leaves are ready for the market. During the fermentation 

 the leaf undergoes a number of changes such as a decrease in 

 nicotin, an increase in alkaline reaction, in ammonia, and 

 nitrate, a loss of water and sugar, and a change in the texture, 

 color and flavor. It is not known positively whether fer- 

 mentation is a result of oxidation by free oxygen of the air, 

 or of bacterial activity, or is due to the action of enzymes. 



The Tobacco Industry. — From colonial days the tobacco 

 industry has been an important one in this country. It is 

 interesting to- note that tobacco was made legal tender in 

 1732 in Maryland, where a pound was i penny, and where it 

 was used for the "payment of all debts, including customs, 

 dues, salaries of State officers and ministers of the gospel." 

 In 1777 the tax levy for the county and city of Baltimore was 

 172 pounds of tobacco per poll. 



Virginia and Maryland were long the only tobacco-pro- 

 ducing States. The industry has now spread to other States, 

 and the production in 1915 is shown in the following table : 



Tobacco: Acreage, Production, and Total Farm Value, 

 BY States, 191 5 



State 



Kentucky I 440,000 



North Carolina i 320,000 



Virginia ' 192,500 



Ohio I 93,700 



Tennessee I 92,900 



Pennsylvania ' 31,400 



South Carolina ' 65,000 



Wisconsin 41 ,000 



Connecticut. 1 22,200 



Maryland I 22,000 



All other States 1 47,700 



United States i 1,368,400 



