10 



VARIETIES OF TOBACCO. 



At the North Louisiana Station l at Calhoun ten varieties of tobacco, 

 namely, Conqueror, Hester, Long-leaf Gooch, Ragland Improved,. 

 Sweet Oronoko, White Burley, Comstock Spanish, Persian Rose, Im- 

 proved Havana, and Brazilian American, were tested in 1892. Of 

 these, Comstock Spanish, Persian Rose, Improved Havana, and Bra- 

 zilian American are cigar-leaf varieties, and the rest are designated as 

 bright-leaf varieties. On fertilized, red, sandy land the yields of cured 

 tobacco per acre ranged from 900 to 1,530 pounds, and on unfertilized, 

 red, sandy soil, from 399 to 1,200 pounds; on fertilized, gray, sand}^ 

 soil the range of yield was from 1,050 to 1,680 pounds; on unfertilized, 

 gray, sandy soil, from 810 to 1,170 pounds; on fertilized new land, 

 from 120 to 600 pounds; and without the application of fertilizers, 

 from 60 to 420 pounds. The bright-leaf varieties, with the exception 

 of White Burley, produced a leaf which cured a lemon yellow, but 

 the leaf of the cigar varieties cured too bright. The bright-leaf vari- 

 eties succeeded best, Hester and Ragland Improved leading, with Con- 

 queror, Long-leaf Gooch, and Sweet Oronoko closely following. The 

 cigar varieties produced lighter yields and a poorer quality of leaf. 

 The use of fertilizers improved the quantity and quality of the crop. 



The results of tests made in 1893 2 showed, that Conqueror, Long 

 Leaf Gooch, Hester, Oronoko, and Ragland Improved cured brighter 

 than other bright-leaf varieties, and that Vuelta de Abajo, Havana 

 Seed-leaf, Imported Havana, Choice Havana, Little Dutch, and Pum- 

 pelly produced a leaf of greater silkiness and finer texture than other 

 cigar varieties tested. 



In 1895 3 it was found that White Stem Oronoko, Little Oronoko, 

 Sweet Oronoko, Oak Hill Yellow, Hvco, Long-leaf Gooch, and Rag- 

 land Improved cured bright yellow more readily and uniformly than 

 other varieties of bright-leaf tobacco grown in the experiment. Dur- 

 ing the same season the cigar varieties, Improved Havana, Connecticut 

 Seed-leaf, and Little Dutch were grown at the Louisiana State Station 

 at Baton Rouge. Improved Havana }delded a softer leaf and produced 

 the largest percentage of wrappers; Connecticut Seed-leaf stood next 

 in value, and Little Dutch last. The leaves of Little Dutch were too 

 dark and heavy for cigar wrappers, as would be expected. No inves- 

 tigations seem to have been made of the qualities after fermentation, 

 which is the only condition under which cigar types can be judged. 



Several varieties of tobacco from Virginia, North Carolina, Florida, 

 Connecticut, and Cuba were grown at the Alabama State Station in 

 1892. 4 The Cuban varieties matured first and were ready for cutting 



1 Louisiana Stations Bui. No. 20, 2d ser. 



2 Ibid. No. 25, 2d ser. 



3 Ibid. Nos. 33 and 34, 2d ser. 



4 Alabama State Station Bui. N< >. 44. 



