o8 CIRCULAR 249, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
MiIscELLANEOUS [TYPES 
The “‘miscellaneous” group includes Eastern Ohio Export, Perique, 
and Rustica. The first-named is so closely associated with the 
Southern Maryland type that a description of it was included with 
that type. (See p. 29). 
PERIQUE, TYPE 72 
The Perique tobacco district, so far as its size and output are con- 
cerned, does not rank high in importance, but the product is distine- 
tive and the processing by which its characteristics are achieved is 
unique. 
Perique tobacco, used in small quantities in the manufacture of 
fancy smoking tobacco, is grown on the more elevated and drier 
portions of the rich Mississippi alluvial soil in St. James Parish, La. 
As shown by table 22, it has never been produced on a large scale. 
In 1934 and 1935 production was almost discontinued but present 
information indicates that it has since increased to around 700,000 
pounds or more on the stemmed basis of commerce. Normally 
from one-fourth to one-third of the crop is exported, mostly to Eng- 
land, Germany, and Norway. 
Planting occurs in March, and harvesting in July or early August. 
Plants are set 2 feet apart in rows spaced 4 feet. The tobacco has 
somewhat the appearance of Burley, both in the field and after curing 
in the barn, up to the time of processing. 
The entire plant is cut and is hung from wires stretched across the 
barn. Each plant is suspended separately by means of a nail driven 
into the butt of the stalk. 
TABLE 22.—Perique tobacco: Acreage, production, and price, 1919-33 1 
| | 
= Yield per F Price per 
Year | Acreage | ae Production pound Crop value 
Acres Pounds 1,000 pounds Cents 1,000 dollars 
i AY ILS ie ake eee ce Sa eee oS 800 435 348 65. 0 226 
Average 1920-298 — = ss 2s 222 ae 590 432 260 48.5 132 
103082245 ee ae eee eee 500 445 222 30. 0 67 
dO Le ee Sa ae I NS oe Rey Dh 400 450 180 26. 0 47 
1952-4. Shee Cee ee 200 525 105 27.5 29 
19332252 eee eee ee 100 425 42 23.0 10 
1 Estimates were discontinued in 1934. The yield, production, and price statistics represent the stemmed, 
packing weight of the tobacco. 
In about 8 days, when most of the leaves are sufficiently cured to 
strip and while the stems are still soft, the stems are removed and 
the strips are made up into twists about 1 foot long, weighing approxi- 
mately 1 pound each. Formerly about 50 of these twists in very soft 
order were packed in strong pressing boxes 11 inches square and 16 
inches high. The tobacco was then placed under very high pressure 
by means of lever presses (fig. 27). Heavy weights, usually of stone, 
were suspended at the long end of the lever in order to give a steady, 
uniform pressure, the object being to cause the juices to ooze from 
the leaves. 
The boxes were opened every day or two for 2 weeks, and the 
twists were loosened to allow the air and moisture to reach all parts 
