2 CIRCULAR 8 6 9, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



INTRODUCTION 



The curing-, storing, processing, and manufacturing of tobacco com- 

 prise one of the oldest and largest industries in the United States. 

 Most tobaccos are held in storage for 2 years or more for natural aging. 

 During this time the cigarette beetle (Lasioderma serricorne (F.)) 

 and the tobacco moth (Ephestia elutella (Hbn.)) cause heavy losses. 

 The cigarette beetle is also a pest of tobacco products. 



In this country most of the tobacco held for aging is stored near the 

 manufacturing centers. Storage of cigarette-type tobacco is con- 

 centrated largely in North Carolina and Virginia : much of this to- 

 bacco for export is stored near Norfolk. Va. Large quantities of 

 cigar tobacco are stored in NeAv York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and 

 Florida. 



Manufacturers prefer to maintain large stocks of tobacco at all 

 times. Total stocks of leaf tobacco on hand in the United States and 

 Puerto Pico in August 1950 were over 3 billion pounds. Tobacco 

 producers take many precautions to eliminate inserts from their ware- 

 houses and factories, and make a constant effort to keep their stocks 

 free of insects. 



Insect damage to stored tobacco and to tobacco products was esti- 

 mated in 1941 to be in excess of 11 million dollars. In the late 1940 ? s 

 it was probably between 5 and 10 million dollars. During this postwar 

 period tobacco doubled in value, but economic conditions have tem- 

 porarily reduced the period of aging cigarette tobaccos, which in 

 turn has reduced the proportion damaged by insects. 



Losses to cured tobacco caused by insects are of five kinds: (1) Loss 

 in quantity and quality of leaf tobacco: (2) loss in value of manu- 

 factured tobacco, such as cigarettes and cigars that become infested in 

 wholesale or retail establishments; (3) loss on exported tobaccos due 

 to refusal of customers to accept infested tobacco, at least unless dis- 

 counts are granted: (4) discrimination in other countries against 

 infested American tobaccos: and (5) loss of good will, as when a 

 customer turns away from a particular brand after buying an infested 

 product. 



Because of lack of purchasing power and of dollar exchange during 

 the past few years, foreign customers have not been able to buy so 

 much American tobacco as they would like. They therefore have been 

 more critical of insect infestation. The attitude of foreign buyers has 

 in turn made the American exporters more alert to insect damage. 

 Moreover, in order to ship tobacco to some countries the exporter^ 

 now has to certify that his tobacco is free from infestation by the 

 tobacco moth, or show certification of fumigation. Such fumigation 

 is expensive. 



The loss of good will to a manufacturer when a purchaser buys in- 

 sect-infested merchandise is an intangible thing difficult to evaluate. 

 It can seriously hurt a dealer's business before he is aware of it. and it 

 is the kind of loss the very thought of which seriously disturbs any 

 tobacco dealer or manufacturer. 



This circular provides information on insect pests of stored and 

 manufactured tobacco and the most effective and economical methods 

 for their control. 



