THE CrirVRE OF TOBACCO. 31 



Maavfurtiirifiij nnil Ei-jmrt Tiii"'.< — rniitiniieil. 



Biuley ; grown in Ohio and Kentufky, 

 C'olory leaf. 

 Cigarette leaf. 

 Common lugs. 



Smoking type; grown in <.)hii) and JSIaiyland. 

 Spangled. 

 Fine yellow. 

 Brown. 

 Colore'. 

 .Firm red. 

 Seconds. 



The Ch.\r.\cteristics of a Good Tobacco. 



At one time any t<jliacco that would burn was considered tit for 

 human consumption, but along with the improvement and develop- 

 ment of the plant, man's taste has lieen educated to the point of 

 demanding certain essential characteristics in the toliacco intended fur 

 his u.se. There are many shades and variations in these characteristics 

 depending on the trade catered for, because in theii' estimate i;>f 

 tobacco, as well as of wine, the best judges do not agree. However, 

 certain points of excellence are always demanded. 



If tobacco be intended for smoking it mu.st have the ability to 

 hold hie and to burn evenly, smoothly and thoroughly. It must not 

 char, that is, there must be no black line lietween the ash and the 

 unburned portion of the tobacco. If it be in the form of a cigar, the 

 ash should be white and solid, and nr.t flake and fall over the 

 clothing. 



Tobacco must have flavour. It must be sweet and plea.sant, and 

 not be too mild oi' too rank and strong. The flavour of the leaf must 

 be agreeable and pleasant, for if the flavour is agreeal)le, the aroma of 

 the burning tobacco is likely to be satisfactory. The aroma of a cigar 

 is partly due to the volatilization of the products of the sweat, and 

 partly to the destruction of certain compounds b_y a process of dry 

 distillation. This process takes place largely in the interior of the 

 cigar and in the heated portion near the coal. This distillation and 

 volatilization create disagreeable odours as well as agreeable aroma, 

 and a cigai' can only be considered as good when the latter hides or 

 subdues the formei-. This is true of cigarettes and pipe tobaccf. as 

 well as of cigars, although in cigars the characteiistics are more 

 marked. 



If a tobacco be intended for a plug wrapper it must have style, 

 elasticity, toughness and body. Nor must it be too large or too small 

 for the size of the plug to be manufactured. 



If intended for a cigar wrapper the leaf mu.st have style, and lie 

 elastic, thin in texture, finely grained, light and uniform in colour, 

 and the stem and veins must be small and of the same colour as the 

 leaf. The leaf should be as free from flavour as possible, as it is the 

 portion that comes in contact with the mouth. The cigar wi-apper can 

 have much influence f)n the quality of the s-moke for the reason that it 

 is exposed to the aii' during combustion. The standard of excellence 

 for wrappers is the Sumatra leaf, as the standaid of cjuality in fillers 

 is the Vuelta Abajo leaf. 



