10 
A Havana seed plant, after topping and suckering, is generally left 
to develop about 15 leaves, while the Connecticut seed leaf is allowed 
to develop but 13, the latter, however, being larger than the former.! 
Of one Havana seed plant with 15 leaves, 10 leaves were found by the 
writer to average 44 cm. in length and 20 cm. in width, while the 5 
largest leaves averaged 52 cm. in length and 24 em. in width. On 
another field the length and width of all 17 leaves of one plant were | 
measured and the average taken. The average was—length, 45 cm.; 
width, 28 em. An unusually large Havana leaf measured 75 cm. in 
length and 39 cm. in width. ‘The proportion between the length and 
width of full-grown leaves varies considerably even on the same field. 
Two ripe leaves of medium size each measuring 44 em. in length and 
24.1 and 25.5 em., respectively, in width, weighed 6.55 and 8.40 grams, 
respectively, in the dried state. In order to determine the weight for 
1 square meter 100 square centimeters were cut from different leaves, 
partly avoiding the midrib and partly taking it in. The fresh weight 
varied between 3.01 and 4.12 grams, averaging 3.5 grams in the fresh 
and 0.595 grams in the dry state. This would give for | square meter 
59.5 or about 60 grams. It nearly agrees with the result obtained by 
H. J. Patterson, who found for Maryland tobaccos the maximum aver- 
age dry weight to be 65.5 grams. According to Behrens the weight of 
Sumatra tobacco leaves varies between 52 and 90 grams per square 
meter. Since the quantity of starch differs very much in leaves cut 
in the morning and those cut in the evening, considerable difference in 
weight should not surprise us. The figures given above refer to starch- 
free leaves. 
REMARKS ON THE CONTENTS OF THE TOBACCO LEAF. 
The epidermis of the tobacco leat develops partly into noneapitate 
hairs and two kinds (long and short ones) of capitate gland hairs. The 
apical cells of the gland hairs contain chlorophyll granules when young 
and generally in each cell a radiary group of calcium oxalate crystals. 
Later on the gland hairs contain resin and other matters, and a dilute 
alcoholic iodine solution stains the contents a deep brown. The dissolved 
albumin content in the plant juice varies considerably with the age of 
the leaf. The lower or sand leaves contain, on becoming yellow, but 
very little or no soluble albumin, while the full-grown green leaves on 
the same plant are rich init. This is to be expected, since only the 
normally green chlorophyll bodies can produce sufficient sugar to make 
protein production considerable. The‘‘ripe” leaves, however, arerichest 
in Soluble albumin. It may also be mentioned that tobacco attacked 
‘In Deli, Sumatra, 22 leaves are left when the tobacco is on good soil, but on poor 
soil only 14 leaves are left. The leaves in Sumatra reach 42-46 cm. in length and 
from 31-38 cm. in width. (Van Bemmelen. ) 
*These numbers vary very much from the numbers given by Barth (Landw. Ver. 
Stat., vol. 39, p. 92) who states that dried coarse leaves may weigh per square 
meter 200 grams and more. There may be an error in his caleulations. 
