RELATION OF NICOTINE TO QUALITY OF TOBACCO. 7 
position products formed during the fermentation process. No 
direct evidence has been furnished in support of this view, and sev- 
eral facts point to the contrary. But even if this view be correct it 
does not follow that a high nicotine content is desirable, for in the 
matter of aroma we have to do with quality rather than with 
quantity. 
As regards the so-called “ strength ” of tobacco, the case is some- 
what different. This term is frequently used to designate the degree of 
physiological reaction of the system to the use of the tobacco in ques- 
tion, and when thus restricted the “ strength ” of a sample of tobacco 
depends on the amount of nicotine present. But this term is also fre- 
quently applied to the more direct effect of the tobacco or its smoke 
on the mucous membrane of the throat and nose. For example, when 
a high-grade Havana cigar is smoked it proves extremely satisfying 
to the smoker. and produces a marked physiological reaction, while 
the smoke exerts only a remarkably bland effect on the mucous mem- 
brane. On the other hand, some of our domestic cigar-filler tobaccos 
when smoked are not only less satisfying in their narcotic effects, but 
the smoke has a marked pungency and is irritating and biting to the 
nose and throat. These tobaccos are almost invariably classed as 
strong as compared with the Havana, whereas they actually contain 
less nicotine than the latter. Of course, these same differences may 
also be noted in different samples of the various domestic types. 
A long series of comparative tests conducted by the Bureau of Plant 
Industry has failed to establish any direct relation between the nico- 
tine content and the strength of the various samples of domestic filler 
tobaccos as judged and classified by a number of habitual smokers. 
In any event it seems best to consider the term “strength” as a 
composite one, made up essentially of two factors. The true physio- 
logical action which constitutes the satisfying effects to the consumer 
so strikingly exemplified in the Havana tobacco is commonly spoken 
of ‘as “ fullness ” of the smoke, while the relative freedom from the 
pungent, biting quality is designated by the term “ smoothness.” 
Thus, the Havana cigar tobaccos owe their great popularity among 
discriminating smokers largely to the marked fullness and smoothness 
of the smoke, while nearly all of our domestic filler tobaccos possessing 
sufficient fullness are characterized by a more or less well-defined 
roughness or harshness. Fullness and smoothness are generally, but 
not necessarily, opposed qualities of tobacco smoke. 
DIFFERENT FORMS OF NICOTINE IN TOBACCO. 
It has often been found in attempts to grow cigar-filler tobaccos 
in this country from Cuban seed and under conditions of soil and 
climate resembling those of Cuba that although of excellent quality 
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