16 circular 635, u. s. department of agriculture 



Tobacco Products 



Practically all tobacco products are subject to attack by the cig- 

 arette beetle, and there are many points at which such infestation 

 may occur. Constant vigilance and the exercise of certain definite 

 precautions are necessary to prevent infestation in factories, par- 

 ticularly during the summer months. The possibilities of infestation 

 in the factory vary widely according to the products manufactured, 

 whether cigarettes, cigars, smoking tobacco, or chewing tobacco, and 

 according to methods of handling the products before shipment to 

 distributors. 



The high-temperature and other processes used in preparing 

 tobacco for manufacture usually eliminate all insect life in the leaf 

 tobacco; but after the tobacco is blended, cut, and bulked, it may 

 remain in the factory for various periods before and after manufac- 



Figure 12. — Open tobacco warehouses with louvers along the sides to provide the maximum 

 ventilation, each section having inside dimensions of 142 by 103 by 15^ feet and a 

 volume of about 226,700 cubic feet. 



ture. During this time it is subject to infestation by the active stages 

 of the insects present in the factory, and the final processes of manu- 

 facture and packaging do not assure the destruction of infestation in 

 the commodity. For example, in cigarette manufacture, if rigid 

 controls are not maintained, cigarette beetles may deposit eggs on 

 the shredded tobacco in the cut-storage rooms just prior to the mak- 

 ing of the tobacco into cigarettes. Most of the infestation occurring 

 at this stage of the processing would be carried through to the fin- 

 ished product. If the packaged cigarettes are held too long in 

 shipping rooms, cigarette beetles may fly in during the warm months 

 and infest the commodity in the cartons. Manufactured cigars are 

 often held for aging in open trays or in boxes for as long as 5 

 weeks, and during this time they are subject to infestation if adult 

 cigarette beetles are present. If steps are not taken to eradicate it, 

 any infestation occurring after the filler, binder, and wrappers are cut 

 will probably appear in the packaged cigars. 



