36 TOBACCO CULTURE IX THE WEST INDIES 
This shows a low potash and high chlorine content and 
consequently an average burning time much shorter than 
in the Sumatra. Of course a tobacco is not valued by its 
burning quality alone and the Cuban tobaveo brings a high 
price notwithstanding its low burning quality. There 1s no 
question, ‘however, that a great deal of the lower price 
tobacco grown in Cuba would command a better price if the 
burning quality were better. In growing cigar tobacco the 
question is not how many bales an acre yields. There is 
no profit in tobacco measured by that standard; a bale may 
be worth $1000.00 and it may be worth $10.00 only, a dif- 
ference easily brought about by proper or improper fer- 
tilizing, and while there is always a certain amount of low 
grade tobacvo it is the bales bringing several hundred dol- 
lars each that makes it the most remunerative crop cul- 
tivated. 
STABLE MANURE 
It is well recognized by planters in general that stable 
manure is valuable as a tobacco fertilizer but it is often 
misused. The value of stable manure is not in the plant 
food content because it contains only from 10 to 12 pounds 
nitrogen, 5 to 10 pounds potash and the same amount of 
phosphorie acid per ton. This would be equal to one hun- 
dred pounds of fertilizer with formula 10 to 12 % nitro- 
gen, 5 tu 10 % potash and 5 to 10 % phosphoric acid. Such 
a formula is never used for tobacco and it is fortunate in- 
deed for the tobacco planter that all the nitrogen is not 
immediately available for it would certainly make a very 
coarse and undesirable leaf. 
The value of stable manure is in the organic matter 
