lg CIRCULAR 435, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



10 percent for that packed in domestic order and about 11 percent 

 for that packed in export order. The loss in weight in air-drying is 

 slightly lower than the redrying loss, usually averaging about 9 per- 

 cent, but the handling losses are perhaps slightly higher, making the 

 total loss about the same. 



Burley is packed in hogsheads 48 inches in diameter and 54 inches 

 in height or depth. The average net weight of the hogshead is ap- 

 proximately 1,100 pounds. The loss in storage on Burley averages 2 

 percent the first year, 1 percent the second year, and 1 percent the 

 third year. The average loss in stemming is 26 percent, with a 

 range from about 22 to 28 percent. This range in stemming loss is 

 due chiefly to the fact that for some products only a small portion of 

 the stem is removed and for other products a greater part is removed. 



SOUTHERN MARYLAND, TYPE 32 



Maryland tobacco is a light air-cured type similar to Burley in 

 appearance. It is produced in five counties of southern Maryland — 

 Prince Georges, Anne Arundel, Calvert, Charles, and St. Marys. A 

 small quantity of tobacco is produced in Frederick and Montgomery 

 Counties but this is known as upper-country tobacco and is classified 

 as miscellaneous domestic. Production of Maryland tobacco usually 

 totals around 25,000,000 pounds. For the period of 1925-34 an aver- 

 age of about 50 percent of the total Maryland tobacco produced 

 was exported, but during recent years exports have declined con- 

 siderably. Maryland tobacco is used by domestic manufacturers 

 principally in the manufacture of cigarettes, blended with other 

 cigarette types such as flue-cured and Burley. 



The harvesting and curing methods of Maryland tobacco are prac- 

 tically the same as those practiced in the Burley territory; that is, the 

 tobacco is stalk-cut and air-cured, but in harvesting no stalk-splitting 

 is practiced. The handling and marketing methods in Maryland, 

 however, are entirely different. The Maryland growers sort their 

 tobacco into four major groups. The lower leaves that drop from the 

 plants and are picked up in the fields and the trashy leaves on the 

 bottom of the stalk after curing are classed together and are known as 

 ground leaves. The next leaves above these are sorted and tied 

 separately and known as seconds. The other leaves of the plant are 

 sorted on the basis of body and color, the heavy darker leaves being 

 known as dull crop and the thin bright leaves as bright crop. 



Maryland tobacco is packed into hogsheads by the growers after 

 it has remained on the farm during the winter and following spring. 

 No air-drying nor redrying is done by the trade as it is practically 

 air-dried on the farm. The hogsheads used are much smaller than 

 those used in any other section. They vary, in size, ranging from 

 around 400 to 800 pounds in weight. The usual weight is about 650 

 pounds net. 



Although the Maryland tobacco market in Baltimore operates the 

 year round, most of the sales are made in June, July, and August. The 

 marketing system is unique. It is the only closed-bid hogshead 

 auction market in this country. There are two warehouses in Balti- 

 more for handling the Maryland tobacco; one is operated by the State 

 of Maryland and the other by the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. The 

 Maryland growers ship their hogsheads of tobacco to one of these 

 warehouses consigned to a commission merchant or to the Maryland 



