INTRODUCTION. 



To secure the infoiTiiatiun euiljodicd in tliis repoii tlie writer lias 

 travelled some thirty-five thousand miles, has visited all the 

 leading tobacco districts of America, has questioned the leading 

 tobacco experts of the United States, and written nearly one 

 thousand letters to verify facts, as well as studied all of the available" 

 tobacco literature. " 



The autlior is especial !}• indebted to tlie Hon. James Wilson, 

 Secretary of Agriculture of the United States, for courte.sy extended in 

 granting the freedom of his J-)epartment ; and to Professor Milton 

 Whitney, Cliief of the Bureau of Soils and official head of the tobacco 

 division of the United States Department of Agriculture, for infor- 

 mation given and for his kindness in reporting on samples of Ehodesian 

 soils and tobaccos. The othei' officials of the same JJepartnient h;ive 

 lieen uniformly obliging in giving infuruuition or assistance. The 

 reports and bulletins of this Department, which contain the most exact 

 and scientific agricultural informatinn of any publications in the 

 English language, have been fully utilized, as well as the Experiment 

 Station reports nf ]Maryland, Connecticut, North Carolina and 

 Kentucky. 



Mr. E. K. Victor, of EiclinKiud, A'irginia, who is regarded as the 

 leading authority on the export t(jbacC()S, rendered assistance in many 

 ways, and it was he "\^■ho selected the leaves appearing in the coloured 

 plates. Messrs. Patton and James, leaf dealers, of Darlington, South 

 Carolina, also gave valuable and greatly appreciated assistance, as well 

 as did Mr. G. M. Underbill, of (^uincy, Florida. Taken all together 

 one could not wish to meet a more agreeable body of men than those 

 connected with the America tobacco industry. 



No attempt has been made in this report to record all the details 

 of tobacco culture in every section, for that would but lead to confusion 

 on the reader's part. Only those features that seem worthy of adoption 

 in a new country are described, except in those instances where they 



