42 



under new and untried conditions. Such work must, therefore, con- 

 tinue to be largely a matter of trial and blind experimentation. Some 

 characteristics can be foretold, of course, from the general conditions 

 and the character of other crops. Much will depend, of course, upon 

 the judgment and knowledge of the producer. Then, again, it is diffi- 

 cult or impossible in most cases, even after the tobacco is grown, to 

 judge of the quality until after the long and careful treatment required 

 in the curing and fermentation of the leaf to develop and fix the style 

 of the leaf and to develop the aroma. Furthermore, this manipula- 

 tion can be done successfully only with a large quantity — at least 2,000 

 pounds — and after the most improved methods. 



A majority of the experiment stations are not favorably located for 

 any very valuable economic work along the lines of tobacco investiga- 

 tions. Such work can best be done by stations located in the tobacco 

 areas. It would seem desirable, therefore, that two or three of the 

 stations which are suitably located in different tobacco areas should 

 take up the subject in a comprehensive and thorough manner. It 

 would be well to have at least one station in the manufacturing and 

 export districts and one in the cigar-tobacco districts devoting their 

 main energies to this one subject in the same manner as other stations 

 are specializing in sugar production, stock feeding, dairying, and 

 other lines. 



The main purpose of this work should be the improvement of the 

 leaf to adapt it better to the present market demands. It will there- 

 fore be well to look into the requirements of the market, see where 

 our tobaccos can be improved, and then decide upon the lines of 

 investigation. 



Tobacco is divided commercially into four classes: (1) Domestic 

 cigar; (2) cigarette; (3) domestic manufacturing (chewing, smoking, 

 and snuff); (4) export. 



The domestic cigar is made up of wrapper, binder, and filler. The 

 most important of these from a commercial standpoint is the wrapper. 

 A leaf to be used as a wrapper to suit the present market demands 

 must have quality and style, that is, it must appear well when wrapped 

 on the cigar, it must be uniform in color, free from holes or tears, it 

 must be very elastic, so that it can be wrapped smoothly and tightly 

 on the cigar, it must have the proper color, it should be of a certain 

 size and shape to avoid waste, and it should be as free as possible from 

 all aroma or flavor which could in any way mask the desirable quali- 

 ties of the filler. Although the thin wrapper used at the present time 

 constitutes only about one-fifteenth or one-twentieth part of the weight 

 of the cigar, it may have a very marked influence upon the cigar, very* 

 much more influence, apparently, on account of being wrapped on the 

 outside than if the same leaf were put inside as part of the filler. The 

 reason for this is not clearly apparent, but is probably connected with 



